#LATechWeek: Empowering Collective Action in Tech

In March 2023, an open letter from the Future of Life Institute, signed by hundreds of technology leaders, including Steve Wozniak and Elon Musk, called on A.I. labs to pause their research. It claimed artificial intelligence posed “profound risks to society and humanity.” Geoffrey Hinton, the “godfather of A.I.,” quit his post at Google, saying he regretted his life’s work. “It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things,” he warned. Of course, there was the late 2023 OpenAI Board Revolt and the notable mass departure of high-profile safety researchers and executives. These flash points over AI safety are just some recent and relevant examples of people recognizing a collective action problem and desperately trying to coordinate a plan to address it. Crises in global climate, teen mental health, the stability of democratic institutions, and preparedness for the next pandemic all follow a similar pattern. These issues are impersonal, systemic, and unresponsive to individual actions. As a result, we often feel powerless and unsure of what to do except protest or post online, hoping for validation. But what if it didn't have to be this way? By applying concepts from Game Theory and Behavioral Economics, ordinary people can rediscover their power. They can overcome stubborn coordination issues and solve collective action problems. Enter Spartacus.app, a platform designed to address these challenges through a novel combination of Assurance Contracts and temporary anonymity. This enables collective action campaigns that reduce each participant's risk and cost while maximizing their expected value and safety. The platform helps defeat the inertia and incentives that cause situations where no one feels like doing something is "worth it, " so nothing changes. We shouldn't need to be extraordinarily brave to speak up in the face of oppositional forces. We can't expect heroes to rescue us - we have to rescue ourselves, but we can't do it alone. Spartacus helps build the numbers needed to make an impact because numbers equal leverage and protection, making participating in a solution "worth it." Use cases include: * Union organization * Whistleblowing * Building support for structural reforms inside an institution * Political organizing, coalition building, and formation of new caucuses * Bootstrapping new associations and organizations * Exposing scandals or corruption * Organizing resistance against bullying, pressure, blackmail, or extortion * Revealing the true democratic preferences of a group or community * Improving decision-making, information exchange, and resource allocation within bureaucratic systems * And many more We'd like you to join us in Santa Monica for some drinks, light bites, and an interactive discussion about collective action problems YOU care about. Be prepared for open, honest, and potentially spicy takes on the intersections of politics, activism, and tech, a fun coordination game, and a live demo of how Spartacus.app is building the mechanisms that can help bring about social change. See you there!