Towards AI-$45^{\circ}$ Law: A Roadmap to Trustworthy AGI

TL;DR

This paper introduces the AI-45° Law and a hierarchical Causal Ladder framework to guide the development of trustworthy AGI, balancing safety and capability through systematic levels and governance strategies.

Contribution

It proposes the AI-45° Law and the Causal Ladder of Trustworthy AGI as novel frameworks for aligning AI safety with capability development.

Findings

Defines five levels of trustworthy AGI: perception, reasoning, decision-making, autonomy, collaboration

Introduces the Causal Ladder as a taxonomy for AI safety research

Suggests governance measures for trustworthy AGI development

Abstract

Ensuring Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) reliably avoids harmful behaviors is a critical challenge, especially for systems with high autonomy or in safety-critical domains. Despite various safety assurance proposals and extreme risk warnings, comprehensive guidelines balancing AI safety and capability remain lacking. In this position paper, we propose the \textit{AI-\textbf{$45^{\circ}$} Law} as a guiding principle for a balanced roadmap toward trustworthy AGI, and introduce the \textit{Causal Ladder of Trustworthy AGI} as a practical framework. This framework provides a systematic taxonomy and hierarchical structure for current AI capability and safety research, inspired by Judea Pearl's ``Ladder of Causation''. The Causal Ladder comprises three core layers: the Approximate Alignment Layer, the Intervenable Layer, and the Reflectable Layer. These layers address the key challenges of safety and trustworthiness in AGI and contemporary AI systems. Building upon this framework, we define five levels of trustworthy AGI: perception, reasoning, decision-making, autonomy, and collaboration trustworthiness. These levels represent distinct yet progressive aspects of trustworthy AGI. Finally, we present a series of potential governance measures to support the development of trustworthy AGI.