The Start Button Problem: a basis for human responsibility in artificial intelligence computation

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have reopened the question about the boundaries of AI autonomy, particularly in discussions around artificial general intelligence and its potential to act independently across varied purposes. This paper explores these boundaries through the analysis of the Alignment Research Center experiment on GPT-4 and introduces the Start Button Problem, a thought experiment that examines the origins and limits of AI autonomy. By examining the thought experiment and its counterarguments, it becomes clear that in its need for human activation and purpose definition lies the AI's inherent dependency on human-initiated actions, challenging the assumption of AI as an intelligent agent. Finally, the paper addresses the implications of this dependency on human responsibility, questioning the measure of the extension of human responsibility when using AI systems.