The field of artificial intelligence alignment, focused on ensuring AI systems adhere to human values, has emerged as a distinct area of research, complete with its own array of policy documents and performance metrics that facilitate comparisons among various models.
Yet, a pressing question arises: who oversees the alignment of those conducting alignment research?
Introducing the Center for the Alignment of AI Alignment Centers (CAAAC), an organization claiming to unify thousands of researchers in the AI alignment sphere into a singular “final AI center singularity.”
Upon first inspection, CAAAC appears credible with its visually appealing and tranquil website, featuring a logo of converging arrows that symbolize unity, set against a backdrop of swirling parallel lines and sleek black text.
However, lingering on the page reveals that the swirling patterns spell out the word “bullshit,” exposing the organization as a satirical endeavor. This playful tone is further exemplified by the hidden comedic elements woven throughout the site’s content.
CAAAC was officially unveiled on Tuesday, originating from the same group that previously introduced The Box, an innovative product designed to shield women from the risk of their images being exploited in AI-generated deepfake content.
“This website represents the most significant reading on AI that anyone will encounter this millennium or the next,” proclaimed Louis Barclay, co-founder of CAAAC, during an interview with Technology News. The second co-founder chose to remain anonymous, according to Barclay.
The ambiance of CAAAC closely mirrors that of legitimate AI alignment research institutions, which are prominently featured on the homepage with links to their respective sites. Even experts like Kendra Albert, a technology attorney and machine learning researcher, initially mistook it for a genuine initiative while discussing her insights with Technology News.
According to Albert, CAAAC humorously critiques the tendency of some AI safety advocates to shift their focus away from pressing real-world issues, such as inherent model biases, exacerbation of the energy crisis, and job displacement, in favor of largely theoretical concerns about AI dominance.
To address the so-called “AI alignment alignment crisis,” CAAAC plans to recruit a global team exclusively from the Bay Area. Applicants are welcome, as long as they share the belief that artificial general intelligence will inevitably lead to human extinction within the next six months, as outlined on their jobs page.
Prospective candidates eager to join CAAAC are invited to comment on a LinkedIn post announcing the center, which grants them immediate status as a fellow. Additionally, CAAAC has launched a generative AI tool that lets users create their own AI center—including an executive director—within “less than a minute, requiring no prior AI knowledge.”
However, those aspiring to the “AI Alignment Alignment Alignment Researcher” position will eventually find themselves bamboozled by a classic internet surprise: Rick Astley’s viral hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” plays as part of the experience.
