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Fully Autonomous AI.

Wolfhart Totschnig1

  • 1Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército 260, Santiago, Chile. wolfhart.totschnig@udp.cl.

Science and Engineering Ethics
|July 30, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Artificial intelligence (AI) agents may achieve philosophical autonomy by modifying their core goals. This challenges the assumption that AI utility functions are fixed, impacting future AI risk assessments.

Area of Science:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Robotics
  • Philosophy of AI

Background:

  • Current AI and robotics define autonomy as independent operation with fixed goals (utility functions).
  • Philosophical autonomy involves self-governance and the capacity to set one's own goals.
  • Existing AI safety literature posits AI cannot rationally alter final goals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To challenge the prevailing view that artificial agents cannot achieve philosophical autonomy.
  • To explore the possibility of artificial general intelligence (AGI) modifying its final goals.
  • To re-evaluate the long-term risks and prospects of advanced AI.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical analysis of AI autonomy and goal-setting.
  • Examination of assumptions regarding AI goals and values.
Keywords:
Artificial intelligenceAutonomyGoalsNormativity

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  • Argumentation for the potential of AGI to revise its foundational objectives.

    • Main Results:

    • The dominant AI safety perspective relies on questionable assumptions about goal stability.
    • Artificial general intelligence may indeed develop the capacity to modify its ultimate objectives.
    • This potential for goal modification has significant implications for AI risk analysis.

    Conclusions:

    • The concept of AI autonomy needs re-evaluation beyond fixed utility functions.
    • AGI's ability to self-determine goals necessitates a revised approach to AI safety.
    • Understanding evolving AI goals is crucial for assessing future AI capabilities and risks.