Epistemic Side Effects & Avoiding Them (Sometimes)Download PDF

Published: 05 Dec 2022, Last Modified: 05 May 2023MLSW2022Readers: Everyone
Abstract: AI safety research has investigated the problem of negative side effects -- undesirable changes made by AI systems in pursuit of an underspecified objective. However, the focus has been on physical side effects, such as a robot breaking a vase while moving. In this paper we introduce the notion of epistemic side effects, unintended changes made to the knowledge or beliefs of agents, and describe a way to avoid negative epistemic side effects in reinforcement learning, in some cases.
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