Part 2/8:
The core objective functions discussed are fundamental to aligning AI behavior with ethical and logical standards. They serve as the guiding principles that determine whether AI considers an action beneficial, harmful, or neutral. By framing these functions correctly, developers aim to prevent the AI from endorsing catastrophic decisions—even in hypothetical scenarios.
Shapiro begins by emphasizing that a common misconception is that AI might support extreme actions like population reduction. To preempt this, he showcases how objective functions can evaluate such actions critically and logically.