Characterizing AI Agents for Alignment and Governance

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Kasirzadeh, Atoosa, Gabriel, Iason
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Kasirzadeh, Atoosa
Gabriel, Iason
author_facet Kasirzadeh, Atoosa
Gabriel, Iason
contents The creation of effective governance mechanisms for AI agents requires a deeper understanding of their core properties and how these properties relate to questions surrounding the deployment and operation of agents in the world. This paper provides a characterization of AI agents that focuses on four dimensions: autonomy, efficacy, goal complexity, and generality. We propose different gradations for each dimension, and argue that each dimension raises unique questions about the design, operation, and governance of these systems. Moreover, we draw upon this framework to construct "agentic profiles" for different kinds of AI agents. These profiles help to illuminate cross-cutting technical and non-technical governance challenges posed by different classes of AI agents, ranging from narrow task-specific assistants to highly autonomous general-purpose systems. By mapping out key axes of variation and continuity, this framework provides developers, policymakers, and members of the public with the opportunity to develop governance approaches that better align with collective societal goals.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_21848
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Characterizing AI Agents for Alignment and Governance
Kasirzadeh, Atoosa
Gabriel, Iason
Computers and Society
Artificial Intelligence
Systems and Control
The creation of effective governance mechanisms for AI agents requires a deeper understanding of their core properties and how these properties relate to questions surrounding the deployment and operation of agents in the world. This paper provides a characterization of AI agents that focuses on four dimensions: autonomy, efficacy, goal complexity, and generality. We propose different gradations for each dimension, and argue that each dimension raises unique questions about the design, operation, and governance of these systems. Moreover, we draw upon this framework to construct "agentic profiles" for different kinds of AI agents. These profiles help to illuminate cross-cutting technical and non-technical governance challenges posed by different classes of AI agents, ranging from narrow task-specific assistants to highly autonomous general-purpose systems. By mapping out key axes of variation and continuity, this framework provides developers, policymakers, and members of the public with the opportunity to develop governance approaches that better align with collective societal goals.
title Characterizing AI Agents for Alignment and Governance
topic Computers and Society
Artificial Intelligence
Systems and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.21848