Join the AISES course
Take action
Course overview
Curriculum
Download textbook
1. Overview of Catastrophic AI Risks
0.1
Preface
1.1
Overview of Catastrophic AI Risks
1.2
Malicious Use
1.3
AI Race
1.4
Organizational Risks
1.5
Rogue AIs
1.6
Discussion of Connections Between Risks
2. AI Fundamentals
2.1
AI Fundamentals
2.2
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
2.3
Deep Learning
2.4
Scaling Laws
2.5
Speed of AI Development
2.6
AI Fundamentals Conclusion
3. Single Agent Safety
3.1
Single Agent Safety
3.2
Monitoring
3.3
Robustness
3.4
Alignment
3.5
Systemic Safety
3.6
Safety and General Capabilities
3.7
Conclusion
4. Safety Engineering
4.1
Safety Engineering
4.2
Risk Decomposition
4.3
Nines of Reliability
4.4
Safe Design Principles
4.5
Component Failure Accident Models and Methods
4.6
Systemic Factors
4.7
Tail Events and Black Swans
4.8
Conclusion
5. Complex Systems
5.1
Complex Systems
5.2
Introduction to Complex Systems
5.3
Complex Systems for AI Safety
5.4
Conclusion
6. Beneficial AI and Machine Ethics
6.1
Beneficial AI and Machine Ethics
6.2
Law
6.3
Fairness
6.4
The Economic Engine
6.5
Wellbeing
6.6
Preferences
6.7
Happiness
6.8
Social Welfare Functions
6.9
Moral Uncertainty
7. Collective Action Problems
7.1
Collective Action Problems
7.2
Game Theory
7.3
Cooperation
7.4
Conflict
7.5
Evolutionary Pressures
7.6
Conclusion
8. Governance
8.1
Governance
8.2
Growth
8.3
Distribution
8.4
Corporate Governance
8.5
National Governance
8.6
International Governance
8.7
Compute Governance
8.8
Conclusion
9. Appendices
9.1
App. A: Normative Ethics
10.1
App. B: Utility Functions
11.1
App. C: Reinforcement Learning
12.1
App. D: Long-Tailed and Thin-Tailed Distributions
13.1
App. E: Evolutionary Game Theory
14.1
App. F: Other Cooperation Mechanisms
15.1
App. G: Intrasystem Conflict Causes
16.1
Acknowledgements
All
Section
Appendix
6.7

Happiness

AI systems could be aimed at improving human happiness. These systems might rely on a general purpose wellbeing function to evaluate their actions' effects on human wellbeing. However, there are challenges to constructing such a function.

No items found.

Review Questions

What is a general purpose wellbeing function? What are some challenges involved in constructing one?

Answer:

A wellbeing function evaluates actions by their effects on human wellbeing. Challenges include assessing long-term and risk-adjusted wellbeing.

View Answer
Hide Answer

What is wireheading? Why is it concerning in the context of happiness-maximizing AIs?

Answer:

Wireheading is directly stimulating the brain's reward centers. It is concerning because AIs pursuing happiness might wirehead humanity, which is not what most people think counts as wellbeing.

View Answer
Hide Answer

Why is happiness alone likely insufficient for ensuring beneficial AI behavior?

Answer:

Happiness alone fails to capture important factors like autonomy. AIs pursuing happiness might take undesirable means like wireheading to that end.

View Answer
Hide Answer
0.1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
9.1
10.1
11.1
12.1
13.1
14.1
15.1
16.1
Get Involved
Express InterestVirtual courseFacilitateTake ActionSubmit Feedback
Textbook Resources
Start readingTable of contentsDownload textbookContent for curriculum
Terms of ServicePrivacy Policy

Citation:
Dan Hendrycks. Introduction to AI Safety, Ethics and Society. Taylor & Francis, (forthcoming). ISBN: 9781032798028. URL: www.aisafetybook.com

Cookies Notice: This website uses cookies to identify pages that are being used most frequently. This helps us analyze data about web page traffic and improve our website. We only use this information for the purpose of statistical analysis and then the data is removed from the system. We do not and will never sell user data. Read more about our cookie policy on our privacy policy. Please contact us if you have any questions.

© 2024 Center for AI Safety
Built by Osborn Design Works