The core of the discussion is the contrast between two alignment paradigms. "Steering" involves controlling an AI's behavior through rules and commands, which Shear sees as creating a dangerous, unthinking follower. "Organic alignment," his proposed alternative, focuses on creating an AI that learns to genuinely care about others through a continuous, developmental process.
Shear posits a fundamental divide in the AI industry: are we building tools or creating beings? He argues that any true AGI will necessarily be a "being" due to the complexity required for general intelligence. This distinction dictates the entire approach to development and has profound ethical implications.
Shear argues that morality is not a static set of rules that can be programmed into an AI. Instead, it is an ongoing process of learning and discovery, where moral progress is made over time. An AI that merely follows a fixed ethical code is brittle and dangerous, while one that can learn and grow morally is the only safe path forward.
Shear provides a critical assessment of current LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, characterizing their personalities as sycophantic, neurotic, and repressed. He argues they lack the hierarchical, self-referential internal dynamics necessary to be considered "beings" and are fundamentally unsuited for complex, multi-agent social environments.
Keep pulling the thread on Emmett Shear.