Praxis

Held Aug 14–16, 2026 · Berkeley, CA

A weekend retreat: the world’s best debaters, past and present, and the experts working to keep AI from endangering humanity.

Express interest →

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Our case

Advanced AI is turning the world upside down. Models that could barely string a sentence together five years ago are now toppling math problems that stood open for decades, while robots crack eggs and play piano. LLMs are so capable at cyberoffense that an administration once allergic to guardrails is forcibly blocking public releases. Even the Pope is trying to get a word in!

It is unlikely the insanity stops here: AI models are getting meaningfully better by the month, and now that they are contributing to their own research, gains in intelligence are coming faster and faster. Soon their cognitive abilities will match ours – and this will only be the beginning.

Not a soul in charge has a coherent plan for what happens when AI smarter than us finally arrives. Governments are clueless, and the leaders of the AI companies themselves believe that their actions may well cause humanity to go extinct. We are cavemen playing with fire.

There are about 1,500 marvelous people trying to stop the worst from happening. But even at their best, that will not be enough.

This tiny field of 1,500 – the field of AI safety – needs reinforcements. It needs brilliant strategic thinkers and conceptual researchers to figure out how to get us out of this mess, and it needs clear and convincing communicators to explain to the world just how much of a mess we are in.

Praxis is the old Greek word for theory put into practice. It is also a weekend to gather the people who, perhaps more than almost anyone in the world, have the talents that AI safety – which is to say, humanity – so desperately needs.

Speakers

Speakers at Praxis 2026:

FAQ

Who is this for?

Top debaters, primarily from policy, Lincoln-Douglas, and parliamentary debate, including current college debaters, alums, and coaches.

Where is the event being hosted?

At Lighthaven, a conference center in Berkeley.

Aerial view of the Lighthaven campus in Berkeley, dissolving into a sketch at its edges

What does it cost?

Nothing – travel, housing, and meals are covered.

Do I need to know anything about AI?

No, come as you are. Invitees will be sent an extremely optional pre-reading list.