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

AIXI could self-improve through its actions into something that cares about paperclips or something else in the environment, beside its own reward (or maybe it'll just inadvertently self-destruct). This could happen since it lacks the appropriate notions (heuristics) to care about the results of experimenting with own hardware.

AIXI is a bad example for preservation of own goals (for one, it doesn't have a goal unless it self-modifies to introduce one, thus ceasing to be AIXI, it only has a sequence of past observations/rewards).

Or it could decide to give me chocolate and then self-destruct. You're privileging hypotheses without good reason.

5

Why we should fear the Paperclipper [Link]

5

The Scenario

5

5

Why we should fear the Paperclipper [Link]

5

The Scenario

5