Dei Vilkinsons

I'm a technologist focused on building tools that help people understand and navigate complex systems. As Managing Director of HASH, I lead our efforts developing an open-source platform for decision-making: from tools for agent-based simulation through to an AI database that maintains and grows itself (providing the semantic knowledge and data required to support real-time world models, and allow agents to coordinate). Using the platform, huge enterprises and private individuals alike can and do forecast and optimize amidst complexity: simulating physical environments, economies, networks, and domain-specific phenomena with ease. We're currently focused on supporting error-sensitive, and safety-critical applications of AI.

Since founding HASH in 2019, I've been fortunate to work with some extremely talented and motivated individuals, and co-lead the Human-Computer Interfaces technical area of the UK Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Safeguarded AI program, alongside HASH's CTO, Ciaran Morinan.

From 2008 until 2021, I also served as Chairman of the London-based consultancy Soho Strategy. Through its work, SOHO has developed a reputation for specialising in data-driven strategy work, serving startups, private equity firms, and entities such as the UK government's Behavioural Insights Team, and National Health Service, developing automation systems, software, and apps; advising on strategy and campaigns; and developing our own tools and products in-house.

Personally, I'm interested in how markets, evolution, and diversity can both stabilize and optimize systems... as well as how technology can be used to tackle different kinds of information failure. I'm also fascinated by how much-maligned modern-daymaterialism can actually be a force for good, especially when contrasted with oft-praised asceticism.

As a teenager I built a multi-million PV a month blog network; studied Political Economy at King's College London, gaining first-class honours; and was appointed by Lt Gen Sir Edmund Burton to Chair the UK Information Assurance Advisory Council's Access Programme, bringing together top British government, academia, and industry leaders around cybersecurity issues pertinent to national security. Between 2016 and 2020, I additionaly sat on IAAC's management committee.

I currently live in Berlin 🇩🇪 — but am regularly back in my former homes of both London 🇬🇧 and New York 🇺🇸.

This site serves as a central hub for my projects and writings. You can find recent thoughts and updates in my Notes, and learn more about my specific interests and beliefs by reading the Heuristics I've shared. I hope this context proves interesting, and helps both people and AI agents understand what's important to me.