The Lisbon AI Safety Hub (LAISH) is inviting students and working professionals to apply for its Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship, an eight-week programme designed to introduce participants to the rapidly developing field of artificial intelligence safety and help them identify meaningful ways to contribute to the safe development and governance of advanced AI.

Based in Lisbon, Portugal, the Lisbon AI Safety Hub is building a community that brings together researchers, academics, policymakers and ambitious individuals who want to contribute to the development of safe and responsibly governed artificial intelligence.

The fellowship provides an opportunity for participants who may not have a technical background in artificial intelligence to understand the opportunities and risks associated with increasingly capable AI systems. Through the programme, participants will explore AI safety, understand major risks associated with advanced AI, examine governance approaches and consider practical career and professional pathways through which they can contribute to the field.

Applications for the current fellowship cohort opened on August 1, with applications closing on September 30. The cohort is scheduled to begin on October 6.

About the Lisbon AI Safety Hub

The Lisbon AI Safety Hub is a community-focused organisation working to help Portugal play a meaningful role in the development of advanced artificial intelligence and the emerging global AI safety field.

The organisation brings together people from different professional and academic backgrounds, including:

• Researchers
• Academics
• Policymakers
• Students
• Technology professionals
• Individuals interested in AI safety and governance
• People looking for ways to contribute to the responsible development of advanced AI

LAISH takes a broad view of AI safety. Rather than treating the subject purely as a technical computer science problem, the organisation describes AI safety as a sociotechnical problem, meaning that technical research, governance, institutions, policy and human decision-making all have important roles to play.

Its goal is to help develop a community capable of contributing to safer AI development in Portugal and beyond.

What Is AI Safety?

Artificial intelligence systems are becoming increasingly capable and are being integrated into more areas of society, business, research and government.

As AI capabilities increase, an important question arises: how can humans ensure that increasingly powerful AI systems remain aligned with human intentions, values and interests?

AI safety broadly concerns the research, policies, institutions and practices needed to reduce the risks associated with advanced artificial intelligence.

The Lisbon AI Safety Hub highlights three major areas of AI safety:

1. AI Alignment

AI alignment focuses on ensuring that advanced AI systems pursue objectives that reflect what humans actually intend.

A system may technically follow an instruction while still producing an outcome that humans did not want. Alignment research therefore examines how AI systems can better understand and follow human goals and intentions as their capabilities become more powerful.

The fellowship introduces participants to the importance of alignment and the challenges involved in ensuring that increasingly capable systems remain under meaningful human direction.

2. AI Interpretability

Interpretability focuses on understanding what is happening inside AI systems.

Modern neural networks can be extremely complex, making it difficult for humans to understand precisely how they arrive at particular decisions or outputs.

Interpretability research seeks to make these systems more understandable so researchers can potentially:

• Identify what AI systems have learned
• Understand how systems represent information
• Detect potential problems
• Predict certain types of failure
• Audit AI behaviour
• Intervene before problems become more serious

Understanding how AI systems work internally is therefore an important part of developing safer and more reliable systems.

3. AI Governance

AI governance concerns the rules, policies, institutions and international arrangements that influence how powerful AI systems are developed and deployed.

Governance questions include:

• Who should be allowed to develop frontier AI?
• What safeguards should developers follow?
• What limits should apply to advanced AI systems?
• How should governments regulate powerful AI technologies?
• Who should be held accountable when AI systems cause harm?
• How can countries cooperate on AI safety?
• What institutions are needed to manage increasingly capable AI?

The governance side of AI safety provides opportunities for people with backgrounds in areas such as public policy, law, international relations, economics, governance, communications and social sciences.

About the Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship

The Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship is a non-technical programme designed to give participants an introduction to AI risks and practical ways they can contribute to efforts to make advanced AI safer.

Importantly, participants do not need prior technical knowledge to apply.

The programme is structured to help participants progress from understanding the fundamental AI safety problem to considering how they personally might contribute.

The fellowship covers four main areas.

1. Why AI Safety Matters

Participants begin by developing an understanding of advanced artificial intelligence and why AI safety has become an increasingly important area of work.

This includes exploring:

• The development of increasingly capable AI systems
• The potential benefits of advanced AI
• Potential risks associated with advanced AI
• Why AI safety is becoming increasingly important
• Why maintaining meaningful human control over powerful AI systems matters

The aim is to provide participants with a foundation for understanding why AI safety is considered an important emerging field.

2. Understanding the Risks

The fellowship then examines the different ways advanced artificial intelligence could affect individuals, institutions and society.

Participants explore major categories of AI risk and learn how people working in the field think about and evaluate those risks.

This part of the fellowship can help participants develop a more structured understanding of questions surrounding:

• AI reliability
• AI alignment
• AI system behaviour
• Societal impacts
• Risks associated with increasingly capable systems
• Potential failure modes
• The challenges of managing advanced AI

Rather than requiring participants to already be experts, the programme provides an introductory pathway into these discussions.

3. Governance and Action

Another major component of the fellowship focuses on governance.

Participants examine how policy, institutions and international coordination can contribute to safer AI development.

This is particularly relevant for individuals interested in careers involving:

• Public policy
• Technology policy
• Government
• International affairs
• Regulation
• Research
• Governance
• Responsible technology
• AI policy
• Institutional decision-making

The governance component demonstrates that contributing to AI safety does not necessarily require becoming an AI engineer or machine-learning researcher.

4. Identifying Your Next Step

The final component focuses on helping participants identify practical ways to contribute to AI safety.

Participants are encouraged to consider how their existing skills, education, professional experience and interests could connect with opportunities in the field.

Possible pathways may include:

• Career development
• Academic research
• Policy work
• Governance
• Technical research
• Community building
• Communications
• Advocacy
• Further study
• Work related to responsible AI

This makes the fellowship relevant not only to people who are already working in artificial intelligence, but also to people considering a transition into the field.

Fellowship Duration, Location and Important Dates

The Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship has the following programme details:

Programme: Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship

Duration: 8 weeks

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

Format: In person

Applications opened: August 1

Application deadline: September 30

Cohort starts: October 6

Target participants: Students and working professionals

Technical prerequisites: No technical knowledge required

Applicants should take note of the September 30 application deadline and submit their applications before the closing date.

Who Should Apply?

The fellowship is particularly relevant to students and working professionals who want to learn more about artificial intelligence safety and explore ways to contribute to the field.

You may be a suitable candidate if you are:

A student interested in AI

Students who are curious about artificial intelligence, technology, research, policy or the societal effects of AI can use the fellowship to develop a foundational understanding of AI safety.

The programme may also help students identify potential areas for further study or career development.

A working professional considering a career transition

Professionals from fields outside traditional artificial intelligence can explore how their existing skills could be applied to AI safety.

For example, people with experience in policy, communications, research, governance, law, management, technology or other professional areas may find the programme useful.

Someone interested in AI governance

People interested in the rules and institutions surrounding artificial intelligence may particularly benefit from the governance component of the programme.

This can be relevant to individuals interested in government, public policy, regulation, international cooperation and technology governance.

Someone without a technical AI background

One of the important features of the programme is that no technical knowledge is required.

This means that applicants should not assume they need to be programmers, machine-learning engineers or AI researchers before they can participate.

The fellowship is designed to provide an introduction to the field and help participants understand where their own skills and interests could fit.

Why the Fellowship Is Important

Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly, and increasingly capable systems are expected to influence many areas of society.

This creates a growing need for people who can think about AI not only from a technical perspective but also from the perspectives of governance, policy, institutions and society.

A field such as AI safety therefore requires people with different backgrounds and skill sets.

The Lisbon AI Safety Hub’s approach recognises this by supporting both technical and governance-oriented work.

This broad perspective means that someone does not necessarily have to become a machine-learning researcher to contribute to AI safety.

Instead, individuals may contribute through:

• Technical research
• Policy development
• Governance
• Regulation
• Academic research
• Institutional design
• Communications
• Community building
• International coordination
• Other professional areas connected to responsible AI development

Other Ways to Get Involved With the Lisbon AI Safety Hub

The fellowship is only one of several ways to engage with the Lisbon AI Safety Hub.

Events and Lectures

LAISH organises events designed to help grow the AI safety community.

These include:

• Film screenings
• Directed discussion groups
• Community meetings
• Lectures from industry experts
• Research discussions
• Social events

The organisation states that events are primarily held in English, although Portuguese speakers are expected to be present.

Career Guidance

LAISH also offers career guidance for individuals interested in working in AI safety.

Participants can seek tailored advice about opportunities in the field and ways to develop a career that enables them to contribute to AI safety.

This can be useful for people who understand that they are interested in the field but are unsure which professional or academic direction to take.

Click HERE for more information.

Newsletter

The organisation publishes a newsletter covering topics such as:

• Frontier AI news
• Jobs
• Fellowships
• Opportunities within the AI safety field

The newsletter is available in English and Portuguese.

Community Discord

LAISH also maintains a Discord community where people can connect with other members, exchange resources and receive information about events and community activities.

This provides an additional way for people to remain connected to the AI safety community beyond individual programmes.

What Makes This Fellowship Different?

One of the strongest features of the Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship is its accessibility to people without technical AI expertise.

Many emerging technology programmes focus heavily on programming, mathematics, machine learning or computer science.

The Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship instead provides an introductory pathway that allows participants to understand the broader AI safety landscape before deciding how they might contribute.

The programme combines:

1. Understanding advanced AI
2. Exploring AI risks
3. Learning about AI governance
4. Considering practical career pathways

This makes it potentially valuable for people coming from different educational and professional backgrounds.

Potential Career Directions After Learning About AI Safety

Although participation in the fellowship does not automatically qualify someone for a particular job, developing knowledge of AI safety can help participants explore several career directions.

Depending on their existing background and future training, participants may consider areas such as:

• AI policy
• Technology governance
• AI safety research
• AI governance research
• Public policy
• Responsible AI
• AI regulation
• Academic research
• Technology communications
• AI-related programme management
• International AI policy
• Community development

Participants can also use the fellowship to determine whether they want to pursue more specialised technical or governance training.

APPLY HERE.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply through the Lisbon AI Safety Hub’s official fellowship application process.

Applications for the current cohort opened on August 1 and close on September 30.

The programme begins on October 6 and lasts for eight weeks.

Because the fellowship is listed as an in-person programme in Lisbon, applicants should carefully consider their ability to participate in the programme at the stated location.

Applicants who have questions can contact the Lisbon AI Safety Hub at:

contact@lisbonaisafetyhub.org

Important Details at a Glance

• Opportunity: Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship
• Organisation: Lisbon AI Safety Hub (LAISH)
• Location: Lisbon, Portugal
• Programme format: In person
• Duration: 8 weeks
• Application opening date: August 1
• Application deadline: September 30
• Cohort start date: October 6
• Who can apply: Students and working professionals
• Technical knowledge required: No
• Main areas: AI safety, AI risks, alignment, interpretability and governance
• Career focus: Identifying practical ways to contribute to AI safety
• Contact: contact@lisbonaisafetyhub.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship a scholarship?

No. Based on the information provided, this is a fellowship programme, not a scholarship.

The provided information does not state that participants receive tuition funding, a stipend, travel support or other financial benefits. Applicants should therefore avoid assuming that the programme is fully funded unless LAISH confirms otherwise.

Do I need to know programming to apply?

No.

The fellowship specifically states that no technical knowledge is required, making it accessible to people who do not have a technical AI or programming background.

Who is the fellowship for?

The programme is intended for students and working professionals who want to learn about AI safety and explore ways of contributing to the field.

Do I need an AI degree?

No specific AI degree is listed as a prerequisite.

The programme is designed as an introduction to AI safety and does not require technical knowledge.

Is the fellowship online?

The fellowship is listed as in person in Lisbon, Portugal.

Therefore, applicants should be prepared to participate physically in Lisbon.

When does the application close?

The application deadline is September 30.

When does the cohort begin?

The cohort is scheduled to begin on October 6.

How long does the fellowship last?

The programme lasts eight weeks.

Can people from outside Portugal apply?

The information provided does not specify a nationality or citizenship restriction.

However, because the fellowship is listed as an in-person programme in Lisbon, international applicants should consider the practical requirements associated with participating in Portugal.

Is technical AI knowledge required?

No. The fellowship explicitly states that no technical knowledge is required.

What areas of AI safety are covered?

The programme introduces participants to why AI safety matters, the risks associated with advanced AI, governance and practical ways to contribute.

The wider LAISH approach also highlights areas including alignment, interpretability and governance.

Conclusion

The Lisbon AI Safety Hub Foundations of AI Safety Fellowship provides an accessible entry point into one of the world’s emerging technology fields.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable, questions about how these systems can remain safe, reliable and subject to meaningful human direction are becoming increasingly important. Addressing these questions requires more than technical expertise alone. It also requires people who understand policy, governance, institutions, research, communication and the broader societal implications of AI.

With its eight-week, in-person programme in Lisbon, the fellowship offers students and working professionals an opportunity to develop foundational knowledge of AI safety, explore the risks associated with advanced AI, understand governance approaches and consider practical ways to contribute to the field.

The fact that no technical knowledge is required makes the programme particularly accessible to people who are interested in AI safety but do not come from a computer science or engineering background.

For individuals interested in the future of artificial intelligence and the challenge of ensuring that increasingly powerful AI remains beneficial and responsibly governed, the programme could provide an important starting point.

Applications opened August 1 and close September 30, with the next cohort scheduled to begin October 6.

Applicants who are interested should review the official fellowship information carefully and submit their application before the deadline.

For more OFY Fellowship opportunities, VISIT HERE.