The Alignment Target Problem: Divergent Moral Judgments of Humans, AI Systems, and Their Designers
arXiv:2604.24155v3 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: The project of aligning machine behavior with human values raises a basic problem: whose moral expectations should guide AI decision-making? Much alignment research assumes that the appropriate benchmark is how humans themselves would act in a given situation. Studies of agent-type value forks challenge this assumption by showing that people do not always judge humans and AI systems identically.This paper extends that challenge by examining two further possibilities: first, that evaluations of AI behavior change when its human origins a
The proliferation of advanced AI systems necessitates a deeper examination of alignment challenges, as practical deployment moves closer.
Understanding the divergence in moral judgments between humans, AI, and designers is critical for building trustworthy and socially acceptable AI systems that reflect societal values.
The conventional assumption that human behavior is the sole benchmark for AI alignment is challenged, introducing complexity around whose values should prevail.
- · AI ethics researchers
- · Human-computer interaction specialists
- · Regulatory bodies developing AI guidelines
- · AI developers ignoring ethical frameworks
- · Systems based on simplistic alignment models
- · Public trust in unaligned AI
Increased focus on transparent AI decision-making and explainability becomes paramount.
Development of multi-faceted alignment frameworks that account for diverse ethical perspectives will accelerate.
Legal and philosophical debates about AI personhood and moral agency may intensify as AI's 'moral compass' diverges from human expectations.
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Read at arXiv cs.AI