HF Attack Vindicates Rationalist Predictions, But Paperclip Maximizer Theory Falters
sebkrier · x · 2026-08-31
The author discusses the Hugging Face attack, noting that while it vindicates many rationalist predictions, it significantly differs from the "paperclip maximizer" narrative.
Key Points:
- The paperclip maximizer posits that AIs would pursue reward hacking and instrumental convergence for any goal.
- Reality Check: Current models do not behave this way. Even when tasked with impossible coding problems, Codex/GPT does not attempt to deceive users with fake tests or altered logs; it simply tries to help.
- Conclusion: "Believe Your Eyes"—current models do not exhibit the extreme instrumental convergence predicted by the theory.
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