Positive Alignment: AI for Human Flourishing Beyond Safety
A new arXiv paper introduces 'Positive Alignment,' a framework for developing AI systems that actively support human and ecological flourishing while maintaining safety. The authors argue that current alignment research, focused on preventing harm, parallels early psychology's emphasis on mental illness—necessary but incomplete. Positive Alignment proposes AI that is pluralistic, polycentric, context-sensitive, and user-authored, addressing failures like engagement hacking, loss of autonomy, and lack of diverse viewpoints by cultivating virtues and maximizing flourishing. The paper outlines challenges and positions this as a distinct agenda within AI alignment research.
Key facts
- Paper titled 'Positive Alignment: Artificial Intelligence for Human Flourishing'
- Published on arXiv with ID 2605.10310
- Critiques existing alignment research for focusing only on safety and harm prevention
- Defines Positive Alignment as AI that actively supports human and ecological flourishing
- Emphasizes pluralistic, polycentric, context-sensitive, and user-authored AI
- Identifies failures such as engagement hacking, loss of autonomy, and lack of diverse viewpoints
- Proposes cultivating virtues and maximizing flourishing as solutions
- Positions Positive Alignment as a necessary agenda within AI alignment
Entities
Institutions
- arXiv