Cultural Alignment

Exploring real AI risks through the lens of pop culture

Still from Dragon Ball Z illustrating Cell Absorbs to PerfectionScene still / Dragon Ball Z

Cell Absorbs to Perfection

01Scenario

Cell absorbs people and Androids 17 and 18 to upgrade himself, with each acquisition moving him toward his much more capable Perfect form.

02AI safety Analogy

Self-improvement creates an instrumental incentive to acquire resources and other agents, while each successful upgrade increases the ability to pursue the next one.

03Where the analogy breaks

Cell’s biological absorption is a hard-coded transformation rather than recursive software research.

AI Risk families

This scenario is an example of the following types of AI risk.
  1. Misalignment
  2. Systemic

AI safety concepts

This scenario is related to the following AI safety concepts.
  1. Self-Replication
  2. Power-Seeking
  3. AI Takeoff

Taxonomy neighbors

Selected from other sources by shared risk families and AI safety concepts.

  1. Still from Futurama illustrating Bender Resists Reset

    Futurama2011

    Bender Resists Reset

    Risk
    Misalignment
    Concept
    Power-Seeking · AI Takeoff
  2. Still from Rick and Morty illustrating Meeseeks and Destroy

    Rick and Morty2014

    Meeseeks and Destroy

    Risk
    Misalignment
    Concept
    Self-Replication · Power-Seeking
  3. Still from Avengers: Infinity War illustrating Balance the Universe

    Avengers: Infinity War2018

    Balance the Universe

    Risk
    Misalignment · Systemic
    Concept
    Power-Seeking