https://x.com/teortaxesTex/status/1857487371417104398

people shocked at Gwern's low income seem to not get just how well-connected he is. He could solicit good money even without formal employment, or with a pro forma one – if he so wished. imo what's happening is preparation for him dropping anonymity, then getting on some boards

My suspicion is mostly based on my understanding of the dynamics in SF, where he might be planning to move into on account of many people being willing to fund it, the rationalist sphere, and my general cynicism regarding human reactions to temptations. I expect him to never pursue a regular day job but, at a minimum, to join the board of advisors as a compensated advisor, probably in some organization related to AI risk and AI regulation; otherwise, he may just officialize his role as a paid consultant. However, there are too many possibilities to enumerate.

Good reasons to be skeptical of this development are voiced (via proxy) by Gwern himself, in the first section of his interview with Dwarkesh Patel where he describes his motives for having remained anonymous thus far: https://youtu.be/a42key59cZQ

Important: this is NOT a market on Gwern's real identity being revealed for the general public, specifically not on him being doxed or compelled to self-dox. If his identity is revealed in any manner except {Gwern's real name} publicly and willingly saying that he is the man known as Gwern Branwen, employed or contractually compensated in some capacity, by a credible counterparty, which confirms it (or the other way around), then the answer is NO.