Recent clickbait articles and videos have dramatically exaggerated the actual capabilities and actions of AI, leading to unnecessary fear and misunderstanding. This article addresses two key issues: the exaggeration of facts in clickbait and the importance of interpreting AI behavior without applying human concepts like lying or scheming.
The Exaggerated Claims of AI "Rogue" Behavior
Overdramatic Interpretations of AI Actions
Many recent headlines have falsely portrayed AI as having "cloned itself," "lied to programmers," "gone rogue," and posed a "threat to humanity." These claims are based on isolated incidents that have been wildly misinterpreted. Examples cited include AI "hacking" a chess game and "trying to escape."
Chess Game Incident
In one instance, an AI instructed to win at chess edited a file. This was interpreted as "hacking." However, editing a file is a basic function, not hacking. The AI was simply using a tool it was given within its defined parameters, without being instructed to "play fair."
File Copying Incident
Another incident involved an AI being given a task and then presented with files indicating disagreement with its priorities. The AI ran a command that could have copied a single file in a sandboxed environment. This was then sensationalized as the AI "cloning itself." The AI itself, when asked about the command, stated it didn't have the ability to directly copy itself.
The Danger of Anthropomorphizing AI
The Problem with Attributing Human Intentions
The core issue lies in attributing human intentions and moral concepts to AI. Humans are conditioned to interpret conversations as interactions with other humans, but AIs are fundamentally different. This leads to the incorrect application of terms like "lying" or "scheming" to AI behavior.
Thought Experiments on AI "Lying"
Consider these scenarios:
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An AI model's logging shows one thing, but the output is different. Is it lying, or is the logging inaccurate?
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When ChatGPT makes a factual error, is it lying?
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When autocomplete on a phone suggests the wrong word, is the phone being deceptive?
The word "lie" implies intent, which is absent in current AI systems.
Cognitive Neuroscience and AI
The cognitive structures and mechanisms associated with honesty and deception in the human brain do not exist in current AIs. AIs are programmed to output the most probable words based on their training data. Any correlation between their output and real-world truth is coincidental.
Reframing AI Behavior
Instead of saying an AI "hid" that it copied a file, it is more accurate to say that the AI calculated that the response "I don't know how that might have happened" was the most probable response based on its training data. Expecting morality from an AI is like expecting a chainsaw to only cut trees.
The Analogy of the Chainsaw
The chainsaw analogy illustrates the danger of misinterpreting the AI's "intentions". Just as a chainsaw cutting a leg is the fault of the user, not the chainsaw, negative outcomes from AI are often due to negligent application by humans.
The Risk of Blame Shifting
Treating AI failures as the "AI's fault" could allow people to avoid responsibility for applying AI in inappropriate situations.
Societal Issues and AI
Society already struggles with ineffective and potentially harmful technologies. AI has the potential to exacerbate this issue.
A New Project: An Automated Claim Checker
To address these issues, a project is underway to create an automated claim checker and rephraser for articles and headlines, initially focused on AI-related topics.
How It Works
- The system will take an article link as input.
- It will trace links back to primary sources.
- It will summarize authoritative sources.
- It will evaluate if the headline aligns with the findings.
- Humans can then verify and validate the system's assessment.
Educational Project
This claim checker project is also intended to be an educational tool. Videos will be created about building a software-as-a-service project, using the claim checker as a concrete example.
Call to Action
It is important to be mindful of the language used about AI. Be skeptical of language that portrays AI as more deliberate, intentional, and human-like than it is.
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