Hi, I’m Benjamin.

I founded 80,000 Hours, a non-profit that provides free research and support to help people find careers that effectively tackle the world’s most pressing problems.

I’m the author of 80,000 Hours: How to Have a Fulfilling Career that Does Good, which will be published by Penguin in May 2026.

Today I write what’s happening with AI and what to do about it on Substack.

See my full bio.

You can also follow my writing on Twitter. (And random personal things on Instagram.)

Writing 

Some writing I’m more proud of:

• 80,000 Hours: How to Have a Fulfilling Career That Does Good
• Is it fair to say most social interventions don’t work? and All the studies we could find on how much solutions to social problems differ in effectiveness.
• Video: How to compare the world’s most pressing problems
• What are the world’s most pressing problems?
• An introduction to effective altruism, and a podcast: what’s the core idea of effective altruism?
• My updates on effective altruism after FTX
• The case for reducing extinction risks
• Talent gaps vs. funding gaps
• The 80,000 Hours foundations series
  

Some of my most popular writing & media:

• What makes for a dream job? What the evidence says.
• TEDx: To find work you love, don’t follow your passion
• All the evidence-based advice we could find on being more successful

See a list of everything I’ve written at 80,000 Hours and on my substack.

Media requests

If you’d like to write about me or 80,000 Hours, email sam.pickering@80000hours.org

Here’s a short interview with me on BBC Radio 4, and here’s a longer interview with me by Sam Harris.

Also see: my bio on LinkedIn, two more interviews with me on SuperDataScience and Clearer Thinking, and past media coverage of 80,000 Hours (including TIME, the Telegraph & the Economist).

Consulting & speaking

I was one of the first non-profit founders to go through Y Combinator. I consult on non-profit startup strategy, and have advised Epoch AI, Value Aligned Research Advisors, the Global Priorities Institute at the University of Oxford, the Centre for Effective Altruism, and the Tianxia Academy. I do public speaking, and have given a TEDx talk with over 6 million views.

Some other interests

• Philosophy & physics: here’s a TV pilot one of my favourite tutors at university (which I’m said was never made), and an interview we did with another.
• Investing: my parents let me manage their pension from age 16. See some of my investing philosophy, and favourite investing book. Today I consult on investment strategy in light of AGI.
• Meditation: I went on my first retreat at Gaia House in 2016, and since 2022 have spent over 6 months on retreat. Some of my biggest influences are: Shamil Chandaria, Rob Burbea, and Loch Kelly. Today I mostly practice in the style of Jhourney.
• Personal developmenty stuff: Once a year I do an annual life review – here’s the 2020 template, and the simpler 2019 version. In this article I tried to sum up all evidence-based personal development. Today I do therapy in the style of IFS and AoA.
• Travel: I traveled from Tokyo to Singapore overland aged 19, mostly by train. I’ve spent around a year living in China, and I speak Chinese, badly. In 2024, I organised this trip.
• Food: Some favourite restaurants: Towpath Cafe, Cafe Cecilia, Kiln, St John, Oli’s Thai, Facing Heaven, Pizzaoilo (sadly closed: Bartavelle, Standard Fare)
• Caffeine: I especially like sheng pu’er and Taiwanese high mountain oolong, which I study with my tea teacher. My favourite cafe is Acid Coffee.
• Fitness: I practice qigong (though I’m not sure about qi), weightlifting, acroyoga, salsa, and once kick-boxed for Oxford.
• Music: the future, juddery rhythms, arvo stabat, spacious jazz.
  
  
  

Say hello

Contact me: ben at 80000hours.org

Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.