The BaseEssayLessWrong
Power — a guide for the perplexed
On LessWrong, djbinder argues that whether AI systems could take power from humans depends on how power works. The post says power rests on self-reinforcing expectations, that expectations can shift suddenly, and that small coordinated groups can then sometimes seize control of much larger societies.
Why it matters
The same thing, for different readers.
For researchers
djbinder offers a model of power as shared expectations to ground arguments about whether AI systems could take power from humans.
The question it raises
djbinder argues a ruler's power exists because everyone expects everyone else to obey, which raises the question of what happens when those expectations suddenly change.
The record
- Questions
- Can AI systems act beyond what people intended or allowed? · What values should AI have, and could it have a mind of its own?
- People
- djbinder (Wrote it)
- What we read
- We have read only the description the publisher gives. No quotations until someone reads the source itself.
- Found by
- The Radar, run of October 24, 2026, via
lesswrong(tier 1: the source’s own channel or an official record) - Cite this
- LessWrong, “Power — a guide for the perplexed”, October 23, 2026. Entry in the Ctrl AI Base, https://ctrlai.com/base/lesswrong-2026-10-23-power-guide-for-the-perplexed
Our notesLight lane: excerpt only; the guide's later sections and any AI-specific conclusions were not read. Author known only by forum handle.