The Alignment Problem

What happens when we teach computers to do something, but they don't do what we expect? Christian explores this theme in The Alignment Problem. He investigates a number of issues in the field, devoting a chapter to each (fairness, transparency, uncertainty, and so on). This book is very historically grounded, taking a look at how computer scientists, philosophers, and others have wrestled with these issues for a ver long time, and then taking a look at the current state of the field. The result is a thoughtful exploration of the computers and human values. The interviews in the book give me confidence that at least a small percentage of people working on these issues are thinking about ethics, but it also illustrates the scope of the problem, which is enormous.