Instrumental convergence and power-seeking

David Thorstad

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arXiv · 2606.08832

Instrumental convergence and power-seeking

David Thorstad

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Abstract

Recent years have seen increasing concern that artificial intelligence may soon pose an existential risk to humanity. One leading ground for concern is that artificial agents may be power-seeking, aiming to acquire power and in the process disempowering humanity. I show how the argument from power-seeking rests on a strong version of a claim known as the instrumental convergence thesis. I explore leading defenses of the instrumental convergence thesis and argue that none establishes the thesis in a strong enough form to ground the argument from power-seeking. I discuss implications for longtermism, the governance of artificial intelligence, and the methodology of studying risks posed by artificial agents.

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David Thorstad. 2026-06-07. Instrumental convergence and power-seeking. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.08832

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