An organization linked to effective altruism has been paying $2,000 a week since last month for what Protos described as an ostensibly grassroots anti-AI media campaign, while recruiting students to lead protests at US colleges.
According to Protos, the group, Irreplaceable, employs a campaign strategist who also works for the effective altruism-funded Center for AI Safety. The outlet said the organization backs anti-AI protests as a way to press for regulations that could align with the effective altruism agenda. In its own wording, Irreplaceable said, 「What’s missing is coordinated action that forces the government to respond.」
October campaign targets more than 100 colleges
Protos reported that Irreplaceable is now recruiting student protest leaders for an anti-AI mobilization planned for October. Those organizers are expected to help coordinate walkouts at more than 100 colleges and demand fresh regulations aimed at the AI industry.
A job description reviewed by the publication said each paid organizer would oversee about a dozen flagship campuses. The role includes high-volume outreach, building political partnerships, and running a digital creator program.
The campaign argues that AI should be paused and placed under public control, a position that would allow effective altruists to push for additional policy changes. One skeptic described the effort as an astroturfing campaign.
Crypto-era effective altruism ties resurface
Protos also tied the story back to effective altruism’s history in crypto, especially through former FTX figures Sam Bankman-Fried, Caroline Ellison, and Gary Wang. The report said the movement has had strong historical links to the crypto industry and singled out Bankman-Fried as its most infamous criminal example.
The article additionally noted that Effective Ventures, a charity funded by FTX, is set to shut down in the UK. Protos linked that point to a separate report saying Effective Ventures had agreed to return donations.
Funding remains undisclosed on public pages
Irreplaceable launched on August 28 with veterans from climate groups including Sunrise Movement and 350.org, according to Protos. Its privacy page mentions an Education Fund and an Action Fund, but does not disclose donors, leaving public funding details unclear.
The Atlantic had already identified Jeremy Ornstein as an Irreplaceable strategist who also serves at the Center for AI Safety. Protos said Irreplaceable’s public-facing pages do not name the group’s literal financiers.
On August 27, the founder of an AI Safety fellowship told the effective altruism community that it was introducing 14 new AI Safety Communicators. In that announcement, Ornstein was named as an Irreplaceable strategist, and Irreplaceable itself was described as originating from the Center for AI Safety.