Did you answer the prompt?
One of the most common mistakes entrants make in their essays is not answering the prompt fully. To help you check that you have done this, we’ve created the following checklist for you.
13-18 Age Bracket
Pick a technology (e.g., AI) and a position (e.g., marketing executive). Pick only one of each. You do not need to address multiple technologies or positions, and your analysis will be unfocused and shallow if you try.
Describe an approach that will address existential risks stemming from the technology. Focus your approach on the most important risks. While the technology you pick can be fictional, the approach you discuss should be realistic, and take into account likely real-world opportunities and constraints.
Identify risks that will make implementing your approach difficult
(For an excellent essay) Identify ways to mitigate the above risks
19-21 Age Bracket
Pick one group and existential risk(s) it impacts. You do not need to discuss multiple groups, and your analysis will be unfocused and shallow if you try.
Describe what said group could be doing differently
Identify incentives that could make said group act differently
(For an excellent essay) Identify inter- and intra- group dynamics that could help or hinder the group
22-24 Age Bracket
Pick a missing piece
Identify what conclusion that missing piece is related to
Discuss how that conclusion would change if the missing piece was considered
A too-short essay (i.e., under 500 words) is extremely unlikely to be able to fully address the prompts.
One question that entrants often ask is “What type of essay should I write? Narrative? Argumentative?” You should write whatever type of essay will fully answer the prompt; we will not disqualify any essays based on their type. Past winners have written essays that are mostly argumentative and expository, but if you are a good writer, you don’t need to restrict yourself to that type.
If you have already submitted an essay, but want to edit it, you can resubmit your essay. Use the “Check this box if you are resubmitting an essay you submitted earlier this year” box on the entry form.
