BASE PAPER Reading Vol 12
Paper: Legal Alignment for Safe and Ethical AI
Overview: Legal Alignment: Bridging Law and AI Safety
This paper introduces legal alignment as a new research direction within AI alignment, emphasizing that legal systems offer valuable tools for ensuring AI systems act safely and ethically. While AI alignment has traditionally focused on normative goals and technical compliance, it has largely ignored the legal domain as a source of guidance.
The authors outline three core directions for legal alignment:
Compliance with Legal Rules – Designing AI systems that follow laws developed through legitimate institutional processes.
Legal Interpretation Methods – Adapting how legal experts interpret laws to guide AI decision-making.
Legal Structures for Trust – Using legal concepts to help build AI systems that are reliable, trustworthy, and cooperative.
This field raises key questions, such as:
What laws should AI systems follow?
How can legal compliance be evaluated in real-world scenarios?
What governance models support this alignment?
The paper calls for interdisciplinary collaboration between law, computer science, and related fields to build AI that serves society responsibly.
🌍 Black in AI Safety and Ethics (BASE) – Paper Reading on AI Safety and Governance Overview
We’re coming together to discuss, learn, and connect through ideas that shape the future of AI. During the paper reading, we will explore a research paper on AI safety and governance, taking the time to unpack key ideas and reflect on their implications for the responsible and inclusive development of AI.
The paper reading creates a space for Black people to learn, connect, and grow together in conversations about AI safety and ethics, while welcoming everyone who wants to learn alongside the community. You don't need to be an expert; you need to be open, curious, and ready to explore together.
Please come having read the paper and prepared to share.
🔍 What We Will Explore
💡 Understanding the ideas
We will discuss the selected paper together, highlighting what stands out, and discuss how these ideas apply to real-world contexts.
🌐 Sharing perspectives
We will exchange thoughts and reflections that help us better understand the challenges and opportunities of AI governance.
🤝 Learning in community
This is a space for shared learning, curiosity, and growth, where you can think deeply and connect through meaningful discussions.
🎙️ Moderated by
Zola Valashiya
✳️ About BASE
Black in AI Safety and Ethics (BASE) is a community created to make space for Black people in conversations about artificial intelligence, safety, and social responsibility. BASE encourages learning, mentorship, and collaboration while welcoming everyone who shares the goal of a more thoughtful and inclusive AI future.
Join us to read, reflect, and learn together.