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1. Overview of Catastrophic AI Risks
0.1
Preface
1.1
Overview of Catastrophic AI Risks
1.2
Malicious Use
1.3
AI Race
1.4
Organizational Risks
1.5
Rogue AIs
1.6
Discussion of Connections Between Risks
2. AI Fundamentals
2.1
AI Fundamentals
2.2
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
2.3
Deep Learning
2.4
Scaling Laws
2.5
Conclusion
3. Single Agent Safety
3.1
Single Agent Safety
3.2
Monitoring
3.3
Robustness
3.4
Alignment
3.5
Systemic Safety
3.6
Safety and General Capabilities
3.7
Conclusion
4. Safety Engineering
4.1
Safety Engineering
4.2
Risk Decomposition
4.3
Nines of Reliability
4.4
Safe Design Principles
4.5
Component Failure Accident Models and Methods
4.6
Systemic Factors
4.7
Tail Events and Black Swans
4.8
Conclusion
5. Complex Systems
5.1
Complex Systems
5.2
Introduction to Complex Systems
5.3
Complex Systems for AI Safety
5.4
Conclusion
6. Beneficial AI and Machine Ethics
6.1
Beneficial AI and Machine Ethics
6.2
Law
6.3
Fairness
6.4
The Economic Engine
6.5
Wellbeing
6.6
Preferences
6.7
Happiness
6.8
Social Welfare Functions
6.9
Moral Uncertainty
7. Collective Action Problems
7.1
Collective Action Problems
7.2
Game Theory
7.3
Cooperation
7.4
Conflict
7.5
Evolutionary Pressures
7.6
Conclusion
8. Governance
8.1
Governance
8.2
Timelines
8.3
Distribution
8.4
Compute Governance
8.5
Corporate Governance
8.6
National Governance
8.7
International Governance
8.8
Conclusion
9. Appendices
9.1
Acknowledgements
10.1
App. A: Normative Ethics
11.1
App. B: Utility Functions
12.1
App. C: Reinforcement Learning
13.1
App. D: Long-Tailed and Thin-Tailed Distributions
14.1
App. E: Evolutionary Game Theory
15.1
App. F: Other Cooperation Mechanisms
16.1
App. G: Intrasystem Conflict Causes
All
Section
Appendix
4.3

Nines of Reliability

A system’s nines of reliability indicate the number of consecutive nines at the beginning of its percentage or decimal reliability. In the case of a risk of ruin, an additional nine of reliability means a tenfold increase in expected lifespan.

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Review Questions

In terms of the nines of reliability, calculate how much improvement we get by improving a system’s percentage reliability from 62% to 63%.

Answer:

k = -log(1-p)

For 62% reliability, p = 0.62, k = 0.420.

For 63% reliability, p = 0.63, k = 0.432.

So we get an improvement of 0.432 – 0.420 = 0.012 nines of reliability.

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In terms of the nines of reliability, calculate how much improvement we get by improving a system’s percentage reliability from 98% to 99%?

Answer:

For 98%, p = 0.98, k = 1.699.

For 99%, p = 0.99, k = 2.

So we get an improvement of 2 – 1.699 = 0.301 nines of reliability.

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In percentage terms, both situations above represent an improvement of 1%. In terms of the nines of reliability, which situation shows a more meaningful improvement, and how much more meaningful is it?

Answer:

The second situation shows a more meaningful improvement. It is about 25 times more meaningful than the first situation. (0.301/0.012)

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0.1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
9.1
10.1
11.1
12.1
13.1
14.1
15.1
16.1
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