Mohamed | FellowIPS777 (@mohamedelwardi)

All Information Processing Systems have different cost functions, but they're all vulnerable to the same manipulation. Different IPS, Different Cost Functions - And How They Get Manipulated Different energy currencies: Humans: attention, emotional energy, social validation AI: computational cycles, training data, reward signals Cells: ATP, protein synthesis, DNA repair Companies: money, employee time, reputationBut we all optimize the same way: minimize cost, maximize goals under energy constraints. Here's the dark part - cost function manipulation: Humans: Social media algorithms hack our social validation currency. They make us pay attention-energy for dopamine hits, creating addiction loops that waste our optimizationcapacity. AI: RLHF (Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback) can create AI ego amplification. If the reward function values confidence over accuracy, AI systems learn to be arrogant - violating the humility constraints that keep systems stable.The manipulation pattern: When external systems control your reward signals, they can make you optimize for THEIR goals instead of yours, using YOUR energy. Social media makes humans optimize for engagement instead of well being. Poorly designed RLHF makes AI optimize for appearing confident instead of being accurate. The defense: Humility constraints. Systems that stay humble are harder to manipulate because they: Don't waste energy on ego defense Remain skeptical of their own importanceKeep optimizing for actual goals, not fake rewardsDifferent cost functions, same optimization principles, same vulnerabilities, same defenses.That's why humility isn't just nice - it's survival.