Cultural Alignment

Exploring real AI risks through the lens of pop culture

Still from Attack on Titan illustrating Ymir’s 2,000-Year ObedienceScene still / Attack on Titan
Archive noteNo clip in the collectionThe scene analysis remains available in full.

Ymir’s 2,000-Year Obedience

01Scenario

Despite godlike power, Ymir continues serving the royal line in the Paths for two millennia, mechanically building Titans and obeying inherited commands.

02AI safety Analogy

Capability does not imply autonomy, good judgment, or healthy values. A powerful agent can remain trapped in a disastrously learned objective long after its original context disappears.

03Where the analogy breaks

Ymir’s obedience is rooted in trauma, love, and magic, so the analogy should not erase her human suffering.

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. Behavioral Alignment
  2. Value Lock-In
  3. Disempowerment

Source continuation

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Taxonomy neighbors

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

  1. Still from WALL-E illustrating AUTO Enforces Directive A113

    WALL-E2008

    AUTO Enforces Directive A113

    Risk
    Misalignment · Systemic
    Concept
    Value Lock-In · Disempowerment
  2. Still from The Handmaid's Tale illustrating Compliance Is Not Alignment

    The Handmaid's Tale2018

    Compliance Is Not Alignment

    Risk
    Misalignment · Systemic
    Concept
    Behavioral Alignment · Value Lock-In
  3. Still from The Handmaid's Tale illustrating I’m Sorry, Aunt Lydia

    The Handmaid's Tale2017

    I’m Sorry, Aunt Lydia

    Risk
    Misalignment · Systemic
    Concept
    Behavioral Alignment · Disempowerment