The Existential Risk Observatory is a foundation under Dutch law (stichting). Our address is:
Havikslaan 8A
1021 EK Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Our tax exempt status (ANBI) data can be found here.
Endorsements
“Existential risk reduction is among humanity’s most important and urgent challenges today. Unfortunately, it is also among the most neglected. So, I fully support the Existential Risk Observatory’s important mission.”
Andreas T. SchmidtAssociate Professor of Political Philosophy, University of Groningen
“Artificial general intelligence is an existential risk for humanity.”
Jan A. BergstraProfessor emeritus of Computer Science
“We humans often worry about the wrong things. The Existential Risk Observatory wants to help us have the right priorities and focus on what is really dangerous, potentially even threatening the very existence of human civilization. It is a message that I approve of.”
Simon FriederichAssociate Professor of Philosophy of Science, University of Groningen
Team
Otto Barten
Director
Otto is a physicist, sustainable energy engineer, and entrepreneur. Driven by a strong motivation to reduce existential risks, he founded the Existential Risk Observatory.
Joep Sauren
Treasurer
Joep is an Industry 4.0 specialist and Managing Partner at Syndustry. As treasurer of the Existential Risk Observatory he keeps the foundation effectively organised and accounted.
Marko van der Wal
Secretary
Marko has a degree in Classics. He is currently working as an editor at a publishing house and at a literary magazine, and is active as translator and (occasional) writer.
Ruben Dieleman
Campaign Manager
Ruben has a background in political science, journalism, and campaigning. He wants to contribute to a better world. For the Observatory, Ruben focuses on campaigning and organizing events.
Nik Samoylov
Senior Campaigner
Nik Samoylov is the founder of Conjointly and the Campaign for AI Safety, which merged with the Existential Risk Observatory in 2024. Nik has a background in marketing and experience as a management consultant and is passionate about AI Safety.
Sue Anne Wong
Policy researcher
Sue Anne has a background in regulatory policy in government and a tertiary qualification in economics. She prepares submissions to government inquiries and policy proposals to increase safety and reduce the existential risks of AI.
Annelene Schulze
Junior researcher
Annelene has degrees in Mathematics, Modelling and Machine Learning, and Physics. She is doing research into technical possibilities for how to pause AI for a longer period.
Jesper Heshusius
Campaign Assistant
Jesper has a background in analytic philosophy and applied ethics. He is interested in normative questions around existential risks. At the Observatory, he assists with organizing events.
Rebecca Scholefield
Junior researcher
Rebecca has a degree in History and German from the University of Oxford and is interested in AI governance. At the Observatory, she is researching the Conditional AI Safety Treaty.
Jon Khan
Junior researcher
Jon has a background in research on nanotechnology. They are interested in AI existential risk and are working on understanding the mechanisms behind a successful AI Pause.
Alexia Georgiadis
Researcher
Alexia has a background in political and economic sciences with a focus on governance and development. She is responsible for research on the effectiveness of communicating existential risk.
Holly Warner
Researcher
Holly has a research background in social anthropology and is a postdoctoral researcher with a focus on technological futures. At the Observatory she has worked on AI governance policy proposals.
Kali Richards
Media and Fundraising
Kali is a student of political science interested in effective altruism and policy focused on the long-term benefit of humanity. At the observatory she is responsible for media and fundraising outreach.
Francesca Fleurbaay
Conference organizer
Francesca has a background in psychology (University College Groningen) and is responsible for the organization of the Existential Risk Conference. She is excited to spread awareness about existential risk!
Ayushmaan Sharma
Junior Researcher
Ayushmaan has a background in Biochemistry and interests in Policy, Governance, and Global Health. At the Observatory, he is conducting existential risk awareness and communication research.
Contact us
Contact us
We are open to working together towards the common goal of decreasing existential risk. Please reach out to us. If you share our vision and want to support us, you can also use this address to get in touch.
Get in touchPress
Part of our mission is to inform the debate on existential risk. We will therefore prioritize interviews and information requests from the press.
Get in touchCareers
We are currently not looking for any fulltime candidates.
For volunteering, please see the information under Support us. If you want to be kept informed about future opportunities, follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter!
Support us
Volunteer
Do you have an interest in supporting us with your time? Send an email and let us know what you are keen to do and what skills you like to develop at the Observatory. You can also organize your own event around existential risks! Feel free to send us a message, or download our Events Guide below.
Download Event GuideDonate
As opposed to research, existential risk awareness building is funding-constrained. With additional funding, we could operate in more countries, organize more and better events, and do more research investigating the effects of our interventions.
We are sincerely happy with all support, both large and small!
