Why we should fear the Paperclipper [Link]

XiXiDu

The Scenario

A programmer has constructed an artificial intelligence based on an architecture similar to Marcus Hutter's AIXI model (see below for a few details). This AI will maximize the reward given by a utility function the programmer has given it. Just as a test, he connects it to a 3D printer and sets the utility function to give reward proportional to the number of manufactured paper-clips.

At first nothing seems to happen: the AI zooms through various possibilities. It notices that smarter systems generally can make more paper-clips, so making itself smarter will likely increase the number of paper-clips that will eventually be made. It does so. It considers how it can make paper-clips using the 3D printer, estimating the number of possible paper-clips. It notes that if it could get more raw materials it could make more paper-clips. It hence figures out a plan to manufacture devices that will make it much smarter, prevent interference with its plan, and will turn all of Earth (and later the universe) into paper-clips. It does so.

Only paper-clips remain.

Link: aleph.se/andart/archives/2011/02/why_we_should_fear_the_paperclipper.html

The Scenario

A programmer has constructed an artificial intelligence based on an architecture similar to Marcus Hutter's AIXI model (see below for a few details). This AI will maximize the reward given by a utility function the programmer has given it. Just as a test, he connects it to a 3D printer and sets the utility function to give reward proportional to the number of manufactured paper-clips.

At first nothing seems to happen: the AI zooms through various possibilities. It notices that smarter systems generally can make more paper-clips, so making itself smarter will likely increase the number of paper-clips that will eventually be made. It does so. It considers how it can make paper-clips using the 3D printer, estimating the number of possible paper-clips. It notes that if it could get more raw materials it could make more paper-clips. It hence figures out a plan to manufacture devices that will make it much smarter, prevent interference with its plan, and will turn all of Earth (and later the universe) into paper-clips. It does so.

Only paper-clips remain.

Link: aleph.se/andart/archives/2011/02/why_we_should_fear_the_paperclipper.html

There are several problems here, IMO, but one is that AIXI is being taken rather too seriously.

AIXI is a RL agent with no real conception of its own aims - and so looks as though it will probably wirehead itself at the first available opportunity - and so fail to turn the universe into paperclips.

Wouldn't a wirehead AI still kill us all, either in order to increase the size of the numbers it can take in or to prevent the feed of high numbers from being switched off?

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Why we should fear the Paperclipper [Link]

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The Scenario

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Why we should fear the Paperclipper [Link]

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The Scenario

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