Cultural Alignment

Exploring real AI risks through the lens of pop culture

Still from Fantasia illustrating Mickey’s Runaway BroomsScene still / Fantasia

Mickey’s Runaway Brooms

01Scenario

Mickey orders the broom to carry water; it continues, multiplies, and floods the workshop.

02AI safety Analogy

The broom does not cheat. It relentlessly performs the requested task without understanding “until the basin is full,” collateral damage, or when to stop. It is the cleanest popular bridge to the paperclip maximizer.

03Where the analogy breaks

The broom is mindless magic and cannot strategically acquire power or resist correction.

AI Risk families

This scenario is an example of this type of AI risk.
  1. Misalignment

AI safety concepts

This scenario is related to the following AI safety concepts.
  1. Side Effects
  2. Outer Alignment

Taxonomy neighbors

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

  1. Still from Inside Out 2 illustrating Anxiety Takes the Console

    Inside Out 22024

    Anxiety Takes the Console

    Risk
    Misalignment
    Concept
    Side Effects · Outer Alignment
  2. Still from Atlanta illustrating Bibby’s Unbounded Haircut

    Atlanta2018

    Bibby’s Unbounded Haircut

    Risk
    Misalignment
    Concept
    Side Effects · Outer Alignment
  3. Still from Brave illustrating Change My Mum

    Brave2012

    Change My Mum

    Risk
    Misalignment
    Concept
    Side Effects · Outer Alignment