Scott Alexander examines the Eliciting Latent Knowledge (ELK) problem in AI alignment and various proposed solutions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the Eliciting Latent Knowledge (ELK) problem in AI alignment, which involves training an AI to truthfully report what it knows. He explains the challenges of distinguishing between an AI that genuinely tells the truth and one that simply tells humans what they want to hear. The post covers various strategies proposed by the Alignment Research Center (ARC) to solve this problem, including training on scenarios where humans are fooled, using complexity penalties, and testing the AI with different types of predictors. Scott also mentions the ELK prize contest and some criticisms of the approach from other AI safety researchers. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of interesting links and news items from July, covering topics from science and technology to politics and culture, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary

This post is a collection of various interesting links and news items from July. It covers a wide range of topics including scientific studies, politics, technology, economics, and culture. Scott Alexander provides brief commentary on each item, often with a mix of humor and insightful observations. Some notable topics include a study on using Botox for depression, British attitudes towards lockdowns, advances in polygenic embryo selection, and discussions on economic divergence between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The post also includes several quirky or amusing items, such as Chinese propaganda, a topologist's map of the world, and an anecdote about a unique interpretation of the Bible. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander summarizes various responses to his post on 'cost disease', presenting diverse explanations for dramatic cost increases in healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Longer summary

Scott Alexander summarizes and responds to various commentators' explanations for the 'cost disease' phenomenon he described in a previous post, where costs for healthcare, education, and infrastructure have risen dramatically over time without corresponding improvements in quality. The post presents diverse perspectives from economists, bloggers, and readers, exploring theories ranging from administrative bloat and regulatory burden to market failures and changes in societal expectations. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links and studies on various topics, from bad statistics and media coverage to technological progress and scientific discoveries, with commentary from Scott Alexander. Longer summary

This is one of Scott's regular link posts, presenting a diverse collection of interesting articles, studies, and developments. The topics range from media coverage and politics, through scientific studies and technological progress, to social developments and cultural phenomena. Scott provides commentary on many of the links, often adding context, questioning methodology, or highlighting interesting implications. The post maintains a mix of serious academic content and lighter cultural observations. Shorter summary