New Tests Reveal AI’s Capacity for Deception

The myth of King Midas is about a man who wishes for everything he touches to turn to gold. This does not go well: Midas finds himself unable to eat or drink, with even his loved ones transmuted. The myth is sometimes invoked to illustrate the challenge of ensuring AI systems do what we want, particularly as they grow more powerful. As Stuart Russell—who coauthored AI’s standard textbook—tells TIME over email, the concern is that “what seem to be reasonable goals, such as fixing climate change...