I've spent the last eight years in cybersecurity as an aerospace contractor, working for multiple companies but all within the realm of the Air Force / Space Force. I'm not sure how I stumbled across it but I began doing side-work for various AI training / RLHF companies and have been doing that for the last year as well. Working for these companies has provided me a great opportunity to learn how the models work and what it takes to train and improve them.
It was through these companies that I was offered an 8-week contract at a frontier AI company focusing on cybersecurity topics and safeguards enforcement. After seeing the culture and having a lot of fun with this specific work, I decided I wanted to pivot my career and go all in with AI. Well, that and the fact that 90% of jobs will be done by AI in less than five years.
I've had contracts at every major frontier AI company and even some smaller ones: I've seen where the models are going and how their capabilities are evolving. I want to focus on this full time and be a part of the change to not only make these models better, but make sure they are aligned with safety guidelines and are a benefit to humanity, not a cause for its extinction.
This coursework will be evolving over time as the AI landscape evolves. Will the jobs I'm aiming for even be relevant in two years? Who knows, but I set a goal and I'm going to do it. If anything I will have a greater understanding of AI and how it actually works and is built, not just a general knowledge of how to talk to a model via chat. This is my journey, feel free to follow along.