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The Unjournal Pivotal Questions Project

This dashboard is part of The Unjournal’s Pivotal Questions initiative, which aims to synthesize research on high-stakes questions for effective altruism and global priorities.

Cultured Chicken Focus

The cultured chicken pivotal question asks:

What will be the production cost of cultured chicken by [target year], and what are the implications for animal welfare?

Warning

Model status (March 2026): This model is largely AI-generated and we cannot yet vouch for all parameter values. It is provided to fix ideas, give a sense of the sort of modeling we want, and surface doubts and disagreements — a framework for discussion and comparison, not a definitive cost estimate. We welcome scrutiny and suggestions.

This model aims to provide a starting framework for evaluators and forecasters to:

  1. Explore uncertainty in cost projections (not to deliver authoritative estimates)
  2. Surface key assumptions about cost drivers — and debate which matter most
  3. Compare scenarios based on technology adoption
  4. Anchor discussion and collaborative refinement — a shared reference point, not a settled answer

Model Development

Contributors

  • David Reinstein (The Unjournal) — project lead
  • Ash Meader — TEA literature review

Feedback provided by

  • Jakub Kozlowski
  • David van der Linden
  • Others who have contributed via Hypothes.is annotations on the dashboard pages — see the Discussion Map for active threads.

Sources

The model synthesizes insights from:

  • Risner et al. (2021) - UC Davis ACBM Calculator
  • CE Delft TEA studies
  • Humbird (2021) - Scale-up economics
  • Rethink Priorities forecasts
  • Good Food Institute market reports

Workshop & Events

Upcoming Workshop

We’re organizing a Cultivated Meat Pivotal Questions Workshop (May 2026) bringing together TEA researchers, evaluators, and animal welfare funders to discuss cost trajectories and funding implications.

Learn more & submit your availability →

Contact

License

This project is open source. Model code and documentation are available under MIT license.