AI Safety & Responsible AI
Alignment
The goal of making AI behavior match intended human goals, values, and constraints.
Example
Training and product rules steer a model toward intended human goals and constraints.
Why it matters
It helps direct capable systems toward outcomes people actually intend.
You'll hear it
“It met the score but missed what we wanted.”
Can you control it?
Sometimes
Sometimes. Some products or workflows let you influence alignment, while others keep it fixed or manage it automatically. Check the settings and documentation for the tool you are using.
Common questions
- Do people always agree on the desired behavior?
- No. Goals, preferences and acceptable tradeoffs can differ.
- Does helpful behavior during a test prove alignment everywhere?
- No. New situations may reveal conflicts or failures not covered by the test.
- Can a poorly chosen target cause apparently successful failure?
- Yes. A system can satisfy the measured target while missing the real purpose.