A Multilateral Network of Research Labs

How should we conduct research on safe and aligned defensive AIs, and with what
kind of governance frameworks? To begin with, it is essential that we keep defensive
methodologies confidential. We should not publicly share many aspects of this
research or publish it in the usual academic fashion. Doing so would make it much
easier for bad actors or a rogue AI (with access to everything on the internet) to design
attacks that circumvent new defenses. Should this research foster advances in AI
capabilities, it is crucial that we not disclose those advances to the world. Our aim is
for defensive AIs to surpass the intelligence of rogue AIs, which are likely to have
been designed based on the most recently published cutting-edge research. This
approach to confidentiality mirrors national-security or military-research strategies in
many countries, with the key difference being that the anticipated conflict is between
humanity and rogue AIs.

It is also critical that research on defensive AIs not be conducted in isolation in just
one or a handful of countries. Instead, it should be coordinated by and carried out in
many countries. Why? First, because the deployment of proposed defenses may
necessitate the cooperation of multiple governments, as computer viruses, like
biological viruses, respect no borders. Additionally, as discussed above, avoiding the
concentration of power is critical, as it poses a threat to democracy and geopolitical
stability. Moreover, if a single democratic country controls the most advanced AI
systems, and a significant and unusual political event cripples democracy in that
country, humanity as a whole could be in danger. Concentration of power in the hands
of a few for-profit companies or AI operators is also problematic and could arise
because power or the appeal of power tends to corrupt, the more so when that power
is vast. The formation of a cooperative group of democracies working together on the
design of well-governed, safe, defensive AI would offer several benefits:

It would dilute power concentration and provide a safeguard against political

downturns. For instance, if one of these democracies were to fall or inadvertently
create a rogue AI, the remaining countries in the group would have comparable AI
power to maintain a balance.
Research thrives when diverse approaches are independently pursued, with each
research group sharing its progress with others. Even if unable to share with the entire
scientific community, these cooperative labs could share their work among
themselves, thereby accelerating their collective progress. That progress could include
advances in safety methodologies, AI capabilities, and the AI-driven countermeasures
themselves. The existence of multiple labs naturally fosters a healthy “coopetition,” a
balanced dynamic of slight competitive pressure and collaboration that enables
building on each other’s progress, which is a crucial element of the efficiency of
academic research. The initial advancements that enabled deep learning were made
primarily in just a few labs.

It reduces risks by avoiding single points of failure: If one of the labs intentionally or
unintentionally gives rise to a rogue AI and if the labs have been sharing their
progress, the rogue AI will face several good AIs of at least equal capability, rather
than become the single dominant power on the planet if the lab that produced it had
been substantially ahead of the others.

The research labs undertaking this work would be independent nonprofit

organizations, although they should be funded in large part by governments. Being
independent helps to avoid the possibility of a single point of failure, which could
happen if all the labs are under a single strong-handed authority. The labs should focus
on a single mission: the safe defense of humanity against eventual rogue AIs. Other
factors, such as commercial pressure, profit maximization, or national interests in
economic or military dominance could create a misalignment, resulting in a conflict of
interest with potentially serious consequences. In particular, pressure from either
commercial or national interests could lead to an AI arms race