I know I earlier talked about how AI capability research being dangerous was a reason to leave the industry. However, after some reflection, I realize that not all work in the AI/ML industry is the same. Not all of it involves advancing AI capability per se. Working as a machine learning engineer at a lower tier company applying existing ML technology to solve various problems is unlikely to contribute to building the AI that ends the world.
Given this being the case, I have occasionally wondered whether or not my decision to switch to the game industry was too hasty. I’ve noticed that my enthusiasm for gaming isn’t as strong as my interest in AI/ML was, and so it’s been somewhat surprisingly challenging to stay motivated in this field.
In particular, while I have a lot of what I think are neat game ideas, working as a game programmer generally doesn’t involve these. Working as a game programmer involves working on whatever game the leader of the team wants to make. When this matches one’s interests, it can work out well, but it’s quite possible to find oneself working on a game that they have little interest in actually playing.
Making a game that you’re not really invested in can still be fun in the way that programming and seeing your creation come to life is fun, but it’s not quite the same as building your dream game. In some sense, my game design hobby didn’t really translate over well into actual work, where practicalities are often far more important than dreams.
So, I’m at something of a crossroads right now. I’m still at Twin Earth for a while longer, but there’s a very good chance I’ll be parting ways with them in a few months time. The question becomes, do I continue to work in games, return to machine learning where I have most of my experience and credentials, or do something else?
In an ideal world, I’d be able to find a research engineer position working on the AI safety problem, but my survey of the field so far still suggests that the few positions that exist would require moving to San Francisco or London, which given my current situation would complicate things a lot. And honestly, I’d rather work remotely if it were at all possible.
Still, I do appreciate the chance I got to work in the game industry. At the very least I could get a clearer idea of what I was missing out on before. Although admittedly, my dip into games didn’t reach the local indie community or anything like that. So, I don’t know how I might have interacted with that culture or scene.
Not sure where I’m going with this. Realistically, my strengths are still more geared towards AI/ML work, so that’s probably my first choice in terms of career. On the other hand, Dreamyth was a thing once. I did at one time hold aspirations to make games. Given that I now actually know Unreal Engine, I could conceivably start finally actually making the games I want to make, even as just a side hobby.
I still don’t think I have the resources to start a studio. My wife is particularly against the idea of a startup. The reality is I should find a stable job that can allow my family to live comfortably.
These are ultimately the considerations I need to keep in mind.