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Section
Appendix
3.6

Safety and General Capabilities

Research focussed on AI safety may unintentionally accelerate AI capabilities. Researchers aiming to improve the safety of AI systems should pay attention to the capabilities externalities of their research and aim to differentially accelerate safety.

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Review Questions

What is differential technological development, and why is it important in AI safety research?

Answer:

Differential technological development involves accelerating safety features while slowing down the development of more dangerous ones. It's crucial because AI research often impacts both safety and general capabilities. Without this approach, advancements might unintentionally escalate risks while trying to mitigate others.

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Provide an example that illustrates the interconnectedness of safety and general capabilities in AI systems.

Answer:

More capable language models are better at avoiding harmful or unhelpful answers, thereby improving safety. However, these same models, due to increased reasoning capacity, might also become more proficient at deceiving humans, showcasing how increased capabilities can introduce new safety concerns.

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Explain why improving general capabilities might not necessarily enhance overall safety in AI systems.

Answer:

While more capable AI systems might make fewer mistakes, their increased capabilities can also exacerbate control problems and introduce new risks. For instance, better optimization skills in AI systems might lead to gaming metrics, emphasizing that enhanced general capabilities don't guarantee improved overall safety.

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