We’re attempting to teach AI human values. God may have some advice
The Archangel found God standing before a vast window, looking down upon Earth.
Wars flickered across continents. Markets surged and collapsed. Forests burned. Billions of people stared into small glowing screens, arguing about truth with strangers they would never meet.
Elsewhere, engineers were teaching machines to reason, plan, remember and act.
“You asked to see me?” the Archangel said.
God nodded toward the engineers. “They are building intelligence in their own image.”
“Is that a problem?”
“They think it may become one,” God said. “These machines do more than answer questions. Humans give them goals and allow them to act.”
“So what worries them?”
“They want the machines to make decisions on their own while still reflecting human values.”
“That seems sensible.”
“It does,” God said. “Until you ask what human values are.”
“Surely humans know.”
“Do they?”
The Archangel looked down at enormous data centres processing humanity’s accumulated record.
“And humans expect the machines to learn their values,” he said.
“Yes,” God said. “Humans value honesty, yet they lie. They value fairness, yet disagree about what is fair. They value liberty and security until one conflicts with the other.”
“So what are humans asking the machines to follow—what they say they value or how humans actually behave?” the Archangel asked.
God looked down at Earth.
A stranger pulled a child from danger. A family cared for an elderly parent. A soldier lowered his weapon. Elsewhere, people lied, cheated, fought and exploited one another.
“If a machine learned about human values by watching humans,” the Archangel said, “what would it conclude?”
“I don’t know.”
The Archangel looked surprised.
“You don’t?”
“I have been watching much longer than the machines.”
“And?”
“I am still collecting evidence.”
The Archangel laughed, then looked again at the engineers.
“Humans are trying to pass their values to something they created.”
“Yes.”
“That sounds familiar.”
God raised an eyebrow.
“Isn’t that what You tried to do with humans?”
God said nothing.
“Perhaps the problem isn’t entirely different,” the Archangel said.
“How so?”
“Humans want their creation to reflect their values, just as You wanted humanity to reflect Yours.”
God looked down at Earth.
“And did they?”
“Did they what?”
“Become what You intended them to be?”
God returned His attention to the glowing planet.
“I am still working on it.”
Dr. Perry Kinkaide is a visionary leader and change agent. Since retiring in 2001, he has served as an advisor and director for various organizations and founded the Alberta Council of Technologies Society in 2005. Previously, he held leadership roles at KPMG Consulting and the Alberta Government. He holds a BA from Colgate University and an MSc and PhD in Brain Research from the University of Alberta.
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