About
Michael Noetel works to reduce the most serious risks from artificial intelligence. His research maps the ways AI could go wrong, measures how much risk the public is willing to accept, and finds where experts agree and disagree on what to do about it. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland, a Research Affiliate at MIT, and Chair of Effective Altruism Australia.
- Mapping what could go wrong: With MIT FutureTech, he helps run the AI Risk Repository, the field’s reference catalogue of AI risks (cited in the International AI Safety Report), and led Australia’s largest surveys of attitudes to AI risk, which found the public expects aviation-grade safety.
- Evidence people trust: Track record of highly cited systematic reviews and meta-analyses (BMJ, Nature Human Behaviour) cited in WHO guidelines and government policy; briefings to ministers and departments in Australia, Indonesia, and Taiwan.
- Doing the most good: Chair and Director of Effective Altruism Australia, distributing $7.5M a year to charities with the strongest evidence behind them.
Originally from Sydney, he fell in love with a Queenslander and is a proud dad of three gorgeous boys.
AI Governance Highlights
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SARA Surveys
Largest surveys of Australian attitudes to AI risks (cited in Australian Government's Mandatory Guiderails Proposal Paper; featured by The Conversation and UQ).
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AI Risk Repository
Open catalogue of risks from AI. Cited in the 2025 International AI Safety Report.
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Affiliations & Roles
- Affiliate Researcher, MIT FutureTech
- Faculty Member, FLI AI Existential Safety Community
- Facilitator, AGI Safety Governance Fundamentals
Core Skills
- Evidence synthesis: systematic reviews, network meta‑analysis, rapid reviews
- Data & tooling: R, tidyverse, R Markdown, GitHub, OSF
- Project leadership: Agile, Scrum, Asana; CI on AU$3.7M competitive grants
- Non‑profit governance: Chair, Effective Altruism Australia (AU$6M granted annually)
- Science communication: policy briefs, explainer videos, tier‑1 media
- Pedagogy: instructional design, online learning at scale
Selected Publications
- Noetel M. et al. (2024). Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review & network meta‑analysis. BMJ.
- Sanders T., Noetel M. et al. (2024). Benefits & risks of youth screen use. Nature Human Behaviour.
- Noetel M. et al. (2023). Prediction vs explanation in educational psychology. Educational Psychology Review.
- Noetel M. et al. (2022). Multimedia design for learning. Review of Educational Research.
- Noetel M. et al. (2021). Video improves learning in higher education. Review of Educational Research.
Media & Talks
- 2026 Young Tall Poppy Science Award (Queensland) – Australian Institute of Policy & Science, recognising excellence in research and science communication.
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Selected Media Features:
- Risks from Artificial Intelligence: Ten News Plus, The Conversation (catastrophic risks), The Conversation (public attitudes).
- Exercise for depression (2024): CNN, The Times, BBC, Good Morning America, The Australian, The Conversation, ABC Radio National.
- Effective altruism (2021): ABC Religion & Ethics, ABC Radio National.
- Videos in higher education (2020): Forbes.
- Briefings to two Australian federal ministers.
- Keynote presentations, workshops, live radio and primetime TV.
- YouTube channel – 300 K+ views on evidence‑based teaching.