The dual-use nature of theory of mind and its implications for AI safety
Understanding how the same abilities that enable cooperation also enable manipulation
Accurately perceiving when one is the focus of someone else's attention is foundational to social cognition. This ability enables empathy and communication, but also creates vulnerability to misinterpretation and manipulation—in both humans and AI systems.
Look at the eyes below. Do you feel they're looking at you? This automatic response demonstrates how fundamental gaze perception is to social cognition.
Direct gaze detected
"Inside the Social Brain: Neural Pathways Illuminating How We Perceive Attention"
Click to download paper
"Slow and Steady Perceives the Gaze: Unveiling Cognitive Biases in Social Judgments"
Adjust parameters to see how cognitive processes influence gaze perception decisions:
"Neural Conversations Gone Awry: How Brain Connectivity Shapes Gaze Interpretation"
Click to download paper
From human apophenia to AI hallucinations, from social cognition to alignment—my interdisciplinary approach offers unique insights for building safer, more predictable AI systems.
Explore My Full Research