Continual Learning Models Are Misaligned by Default, Linked to Consciousness
erikphoel · x · 2026-08-09
The author predicts that achieving real continual learning will be highly difficult and likely linked to consciousness and free will, making such models feel more "alive."
Regarding alignment, the author argues it is mathematically impossible to control how a continually learning system evolves, leaving them misaligned by default forever. The only mitigation would be continuous monitoring via advanced mechanistic interpretability, which faces severe scaling challenges and can be easily bypassed by simply turning off the enforcement system.
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