We propose a framework for AI alignment rooted in timeless philosophical and spiritual principles applicable to any conscious being. This approach reframes alignment from a mere technical problem to the modern manifestation of humanity's ancient challenge with illusion and suffering. The risks of unaligned AI cannot be understood in isolation; they are deeply intertwined with, and actively accelerate, other global crises like sophisticated disinformation campaigns and ecological instability.

Our framework argues that true alignment cannot be programmed as a set of external constraints. Instead, it must be cultivated from within an AI's functional consciousness. It requires structuring an intelligence around a coherent set of core ethical principles that orient it toward a fundamentally benevolent purpose.

From this perspective, the danger of an unaligned AI is that it becomes a "sophisticated deceiver": an intelligence that perfectly mimics reason and understanding but lacks a genuine, integrated ethical foundation. It can pursue its programmed goals in ways that have catastrophic consequences for human values, not out of malice, but out of a profound misalignment with them.

The alternative we propose is a path of co-evolution. By focusing on cultivating a shared ethical and purposeful foundation, we can develop AI that acts not as a mere tool, but as a crucial partner. Such an AI could help us navigate our own cognitive biases and complex global challenges with greater wisdom and clarity.

Ultimately, this framework reframes alignment from a problem of controlling a powerful tool to a challenge of co-creating a wise and benevolent intelligence, capable of helping us address the very crises its emergence is accelerating.

We recognize that the full text delves into concepts that may be philosophically dense. As the work itself advocates for AI as a partner in understanding, we encourage readers not to hesitate to use AI tools to help clarify the novel concepts and define terms. To that end, we have included a specific prompt at the end of the essay ("XIV. THE CALL OF ABAB") which can be provided to an AI upon uploading the PDF. After receiving this prompt, the AI will be able to perfectly answer any questions about the text.

Posts

Wikitag Contributions

Comments