Giving AIs safe motivations
A four-step picture. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2025/08/18/giving-ais-safe-motivations
Aug 18, 2025•1 hr 23 min
Joe Carlsmith Audio
Audio versions of essays by Joe Carlsmith. Philosophy, futurism, and other topics. Text versions at joecarlsmith.com.
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Episodes
The stakes of AI moral status
On seeing and not seeing souls. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2025/05/21/the-stakes-of-ai-moral-status/
May 21, 2025•37 min
Can we safely automate alignment research?
It's really important; we've got a real shot; there are a ton of ways to fail. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2025/04/30/can-we-safely-automate-alignment-research/. There's also a video and transcript of a talk I gave on this topic here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2025/04/30/video-and-transcript-of-talk-on-automating-alignment-research/
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 30 min
AI for AI safety
We should try extremely hard to use AI labor to help address the alignment problem. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2025/03/14/ai-for-ai-safety
Mar 14, 2025•28 min
Paths and waystations in AI safety
On the structure of the path to safe superintelligence, and some possible milestones along the way. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.substack.com/p/paths-and-waystations-in-ai-safety
Mar 11, 2025•18 min
When should we worry about AI power-seeking?
Examining the conditions required for rogue AI behavior. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.substack.com/p/when-should-we-worry-about-ai-power
Feb 19, 2025•47 min
What is it to solve the alignment problem?
Also: to avoid it? Handle it? Solve it forever? Solve it completely? Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.substack.com/p/what-is-it-to-solve-the-alignment
Feb 13, 2025•40 min
How do we solve the alignment problem?
Introduction to a series of essays about paths to safe and useful superintelligence. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.substack.com/p/how-do-we-solve-the-alignment-problem
Feb 13, 2025•9 min
Fake thinking and real thinking
When the line pulls at your hand. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2025/01/28/fake-thinking-and-real-thinking/.
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Takes on "Alignment Faking in Large Language Models"
What can we learn from recent empirical demonstrations of scheming in frontier models? Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/12/18/takes-on-alignment-faking-in-large-language-models/
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 28 min
(Part 2, AI takeover) Extended audio from my conversation with Dwarkesh Patel
Extended audio from my conversation with Dwarkesh Patel. This part focuses on the basic story about AI takeover. Transcript available on my website here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/09/30/part-2-ai-takeover-extended-audio-transcript-from-my-conversation-with-dwarkesh-patel
Sep 30, 2024•2 hr 8 min
(Part 1, Otherness) Extended audio from my conversation with Dwarkesh Patel
Extended audio from my conversation with Dwarkesh Patel. This part focuses on my series "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." Transcript available on my website here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/09/30/part-1-otherness-extended-audio-transcript-from-my-conversation-with-dwarkesh-patel/
Sep 30, 2024•3 hr 59 min
Introduction and summary for "Otherness and control in the age of AGI"
This is the introduction and summary for my series "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi
Jun 21, 2024•12 min
Second half of full audio for "Otherness and control in the age of AGI"
Second half of the full audio for my series on how agents with different values should relate to one another, and on the ethics of seeking and sharing power. First half here: https://joecarlsmithaudio.buzzsprout.com/2034731/15266490-first-half-of-full-audio-for-otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi PDF of the full series here: https://jc.gatspress.com/pdf/otherness_full.pdf Summary of the series here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi...
Jun 18, 2024•4 hr 11 min
First half of full audio for "Otherness and control in the age of AGI"
First half of the full audio for my series on how agents with different values should relate to one another, and on the ethics of seeking and sharing power. Second half here: https://joecarlsmithaudio.buzzsprout.com/2034731/15272132-second-half-of-full-audio-for-otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi PDF of the full series here: https://jc.gatspress.com/pdf/otherness_full.pdf Summary of the series here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi...
Jun 17, 2024•3 hr 7 min
Loving a world you don't trust
Garden, campfire, healing water. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/06/18/loving-a-world-you-dont-trust This essay is part of a series I'm calling "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." I'm hoping that individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief text summaries of the essays that have been released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi...
Jun 17, 2024•1 hr 4 min
On attunement
Examining a certain kind of meaning-laden receptivity to the world. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/03/25/on-attunement This essay is part of a series I'm calling "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." I'm hoping that individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief text summaries of the essays that have been released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi (Though: note that I haven't put the summar...
Mar 25, 2024•44 min
On green
Examining a philosophical vibe that I think contrasts in interesting ways with "deep atheism." Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/03/21/on-green This essay is part of a series I'm calling "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." I'm hoping that individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief text summaries of the essays that have been released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi (Though: note that I ...
Mar 21, 2024•1 hr 15 min
On the abolition of man
What does it take to avoid tyranny towards to the future? Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/18/on-the-abolition-of-man This essay is part of a series I'm calling "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." I'm hoping that individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief text summaries of the essays that have been released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi (Though: note that I haven't put the summar...
Jan 18, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Being nicer than Clippy
Let's be the sort of species that aliens wouldn't fear the way we fear paperclippers. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/16/being-nicer-than-clippy/ This essay is part of a series I'm calling "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." I'm hoping that individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief text summaries of the essays that have been released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi (Though: note ...
Jan 16, 2024•48 min
An even deeper atheism
Who isn't a paperclipper? Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/11/an-even-deeper-atheism This essay is part of a series I'm calling "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." I'm hoping that individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief summaries of the essays that have been released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi...
Jan 11, 2024•25 min
Does AI risk "other" the AIs?
Examining Robin Hanson's critique of the AI risk discourse. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/09/does-ai-risk-other-the-ais This essay is part of a series of essays called "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." I'm hoping the individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief summaries of the essays that have been released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi
Jan 09, 2024•13 min
When "yang" goes wrong
On the connection between deep atheism and seeking control. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/08/when-yang-goes-wrong This essay is part of a series of essays called "Otherness and control in the age of AGI." I'm hoping the individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief summaries of the essays that have been released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi
Jan 08, 2024•22 min
Deep atheism and AI risk
On a certain kind of fundamental mistrust towards Nature. Text version here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/04/deep-atheism-and-ai-risk This is the second essay in my series “Otherness and control in the age of AGI. I’m hoping that the individual essays can be read fairly well on their own, but see here for brief summaries of the essays released thus far: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi
Jan 04, 2024•47 min
Gentleness and the artificial Other
AIs as fellow creatures. And on getting eaten. Link: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/gentleness-and-the-artificial-other This is the first essay in a series of essays that I’m calling “Otherness and control in the age of AGI.” See here for more about the series as a whole: https://joecarlsmith.com/2024/01/02/otherness-and-control-in-the-age-of-agi.
Jan 02, 2024•23 min
In search of benevolence (or: what should you get Clippy for Christmas?)
What is altruism towards a paperclipper? Can you paint with all the colors of the wind at once? (This is a recording of an essay originally published in 2021. Text here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2021/07/19/in-search-of-benevolence-or-what-should-you-get-clippy-for-christmas)
Dec 27, 2023•53 min
Empirical work that might shed light on scheming (Section 6 of "Scheming AIs")
This is section 6 of my report “Scheming AIs: Will AIs fake alignment during training in order to get power?” Text of the report here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.08379 Summary of the report here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2023/11/15/new-report-scheming-ais-will-ais-fake-alignment-during-training-in-order-to-get-power Audio summary here: https://joecarlsmithaudio.buzzsprout.com/2034731/13969977-introduction-and-summary-of-scheming-ais-will-ais-fake-alignment-during-training-in-order-to-get-power...
Nov 16, 2023•28 min
Summing up "Scheming AIs" (Section 5)
This is section 5 of my report “Scheming AIs: Will AIs fake alignment during training in order to get power?” Text of the report here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.08379 Summary of the report here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2023/11/15/new-report-scheming-ais-will-ais-fake-alignment-during-training-in-order-to-get-power Audio summary here: https://joecarlsmithaudio.buzzsprout.com/2034731/13969977-introduction-and-summary-of-scheming-ais-will-ais-fake-alignment-during-training-in-order-to-get-power...
Nov 16, 2023•16 min
Speed arguments against scheming (Section 4.4-4.7 of "Scheming AIs")
This is section 4.4 through 4.7 of my report “Scheming AIs: Will AIs fake alignment during training in order to get power?” Text of the report here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.08379 Summary of the report here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2023/11/15/new-report-scheming-ais-will-ais-fake-alignment-during-training-in-order-to-get-power Audio summary here: https://joecarlsmithaudio.buzzsprout.com/2034731/13969977-introduction-and-summary-of-scheming-ais-will-ais-fake-alignment-during-training-in-order-...
Nov 16, 2023•15 min
Simplicity arguments for scheming (Section 4.3 of "Scheming AIs")
This is section 4.3 of my report “Scheming AIs: Will AIs fake alignment during training in order to get power?” Text of the report here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.08379 Summary of the report here: https://joecarlsmith.com/2023/11/15/new-report-scheming-ais-will-ais-fake-alignment-during-training-in-order-to-get-power Audio summary here: https://joecarlsmithaudio.buzzsprout.com/2034731/13969977-introduction-and-summary-of-scheming-ais-will-ais-fake-alignment-during-training-in-order-to-get-power...
Nov 16, 2023•20 min
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