Micah Hees.

Now

What I’m up to

A running snapshot of what I’m working on, where my head is, and what just happened. Updated as life updates.

Working on

Fieldbuilding

AI safety, the people side

Growing the pipeline of people working on AI safety, especially non-technical contributors who can organize, communicate, and build community. I think this is undersupplied, and I think it’s something I’m actually built for.

Context

Building genuine understanding

Working through AI safety programs with BlueDot and CEA. Reading, listening to the 80,000 Hours podcast, and stress-testing my own views in conversation instead of just deferring to smart people.

School

UW–Madison (econ)

Switched from accounting to economics to move through faster and free up time and energy for this work. Targeting an early graduation.

Organizing

Community work

Active in EA UW and WAISI. Background in statewide advocacy (American Heart Association), cross-partisan dialogue (Bridge Madison), and sustainability consulting.

AI safety journey

Spring 2026

EA Midwest Retreat

Connected with people working in AI safety and fieldbuilding. Applied to the Generator Residency, EAG London, and EAG NYC.

Spring 2026

Second EA Fellowship · UW–Madison

AI safety, longtermism, biosecurity, existential risk, global priorities. Facilitating discussions on some of the most important questions I know of.

Fall 2025

First EA Fellowship · UW–Madison

Introduction to effective altruism, cause prioritization, and the core ideas that reshaped how I think about doing good.

Ongoing

Reading: AI 2027, The Alignment Problem, The Precipice

Trying to actually understand AI risk instead of just adopting the consensus, and checking the arguments for myself.

Recent updates

Recently · New York City

Volunteering for Bores

Spent time in NYC knocking doors, volunteering for Bores with friends. Door-to-door is its own kind of education; you learn a city by the conversations you have on its stoops.

Volunteering for Bores in New York City

Field notes: how to pass as a New Yorker. A few things you must know if the plan is to blend in:

  • Bagel spread is schmear. Not negotiable.
  • Mind your pronunciation of bagel: it’s “Bae,” not “Bah.”
  • Have a take on the best bagel spot. Be ready to defend it.
  • Pizza is the other arena where a refined opinion is mandatory.
  • Drop that you’re a New Yorker and that “this is New York” to smoke out whether someone else really is one. (This exact test was run on me, by a fellow canvasser, Ellie, on poll day.)