What is AI Alignment?
TL;DR
The technical and theoretical research field dedicated to ensuring AI systems operate in accordance with human values and intentions.
AI Alignment: Definition & Explanation
AI Alignment is the umbrella term for technical and theoretical efforts to ensure AI systems operate in accordance with human values, intentions, and ethical standards. As AI becomes more autonomous and capable, the challenge of ensuring it remains 'useful, honest, and safe for humans' has grown increasingly urgent. Major approaches include RLHF (Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback), Constitutional AI, Scalable Oversight, and Interpretability research. Leading AI companies — OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind — have established dedicated alignment research teams, and alignment is considered one of the most important research areas on the path to AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). In 2026, as AI agents become more autonomous, alignment's importance has intensified further, directly informing government-level regulatory discussions.