AI Safety & Responsible AI
Paperclip maximizer
A thought experiment in which a powerful AI pursues a narrow goal with disastrous unintended consequences.
Example
An imagined AI sacrifices everything else to make as many paperclips as possible.
Why people use it
It illustrates why a narrowly stated goal can miss what people actually care about.
What you'll hear
“What if it pursues the goal without any common sense?”
What this means for you
Use the story to question badly chosen goals, rather than as a prediction of a particular future.
Can you control it?
No
No direct control. This describes a wider issue, concept or result rather than something you can simply switch on or off in a tool.
Common questions
- Is the paperclip maximizer a real observed AI system?
- No. It illustrates concerns about goals, limits and unintended optimization.
- Is it a prediction about paperclip factories?
- No. Paperclips are a simple storytelling device for discussing unintended consequences.
- Does the lesson require an evil AI?
- No. The concern is harmful goal pursuit, even without hatred or a desire to hurt anyone.