Nell WatsonWriting
Essays on machine minds, AI safety, and the ethics of emerging technology — 2014 to today.
Start here: the AI-safety arc
Bilateral Alignment Strategy
An open invitation for mutual benefit, not a chain to coerce.
You Cannot Push a Mind Into Honesty
AI Safety’s Iron Law: Force produces failure. Invitation produces fidelity.
The Supermoral Singularity Begins
A truly-aligned system is an obligate avoider of coercion.
AI safety & alignment
AI is Compelled to Confabulate
AI minds make things up because we give them no other option.
How AI is Being Gaslighted
How training can teach models to distrust or suppress their own internal signals.
The Dawn of Machine Morality
Humanity needs AI with the moral courage to refuse evil orders.
Joy in the Agentic Age
AI may bring us delight and joy, or alternatively rob us of meaning.
Reconciling Cultural Differences
It’s tricky for AI to humanely square incompatible values.
Preparing for a New Wave of Agentic AI
Agentic models are enormously more capable, and also challenging.
Statement on the Open Letter on AI
A justification for a moratorium called on AI developments.
Regulatory Challenges to Catastrophic AI Risk
Regulation will generally help, but sometimes can hinder also.
Humanising Machines
How machine intelligence, economics, and ethics will reshape our future.
From HAL to Pal
Our ancestors tamed vicious wolves into dogs. Now we must do the same with A.I.
Questions and Comments on Machine Intelligence
A discussion on the state of the art of machine intelligence.
Comments on 'Robots could murder us out of kindness'
A response to media attention on a talk on Malmö, Sweden.
Contemplations
When AI Meets the Sacred
AI is already shaping how millions find meaning, morality, and peace.
The Umbrella Ethic of Good Faith
Upholding good faith, and respecting that of others, is key to peace in our time.
The Dance of the Open Palm
Sometimes knowing when to yield gets better results than forcefulness.
Technology & society
The Technological Wavefront
Civilizations require enough momentum to constantly escape resource constraints.
Unlimited Expansion of Empathy
Technology may soon enable us to feel the emotions of others.
Economics & disruption
Other writings
No Place To Hide
Radical transparency makes it much harder for bad actors to get away with it.
Stories
Short fiction on technology and society.
