William MacAskill

Hi - I'm Will MacAskill, a moral philosopher and senior research fellow at Forethought.

I’m currently working on “AGI Preparedness”: trying to chart the future trajectory of rapid AI-driven technological change, identify what challenges might arise as a result, and figure out what we should be doing, now, to prepare. I write much more about this idea here.

As part of this, I’m interested in space governance, digital rights, what values we should give to AI and, more generally, what a good post-AGI society should look like.

Before Forethought, I was an Associate Professor at Oxford University (2015-2024). While there, I wrote Doing Good Better (2015) and What We Owe The Future (2022), and co-authored Moral Uncertainty (2020) and An Introduction to Utilitarianism (2024).

I also helped to start the effective altruism movement, which is about trying to use evidence and reason to help others as much as possible with our time and money. As part of that, I cofounded Giving What We Can (2009), 80,000 Hours (2011), and the Centre for Effective Altruism (2012). I’ve also cofounded the Global Priorities Institute (2017) at Oxford University, and, more recently, Forethought.

To learn more about me and effective altruism, I’d recommend reading this piece by TIME Magazine.

For speaking engagements and press inquiries, please go here.

My new book is out!

WHAT WE OWE THE FUTURE

In What We Owe The Future, I discuss the case for longtermism — the view that we should be doing much more to protect future generations.

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Caring About Future People Is Common Sense

I spoke with Trevor Noah about the basics of effective altruism, donating to effective charities with Giving What We Can, whether humans are inherently good, and much more.