Reconceptualizing AI Alignment as a Structural Governance Problem

A recent study published on arXiv suggests that the issue of value alignment in AI transcends mere technical or normative concerns, presenting it instead as a matter of governance structure. The author utilizes an economic principal-agent framework to redefine misalignment, highlighting three interrelated dimensions: objectives, information, and principals. The study asserts that alignment should not be viewed as a singular technical characteristic of models; rather, it is influenced by the specification of objectives, the distribution of information, and the stakeholders' interests that are prioritized. A significant contribution of this work is demonstrating that this three-axis framework offers a systematic approach to understanding the origins of misalignment in practical systems.