The Structural Divergence Principle: Limits of Long-Term AGI Alignment and the Illusion of Recursive Convergence

Abstract

The prevailing counter-argument to near-term AGI alignment pessimism relies on the assumption of recursive convergence: the belief that future, more capable systems will possess the intelligence and resources necessary to identify and correct the alignment failures of their predecessors. This paper formally challenges that assumption by introducing the Structural Divergence Principle. We argue that optimization pressure applied to distinct objective functions does not produce convergence over time; rather, it guarantees structural divergence. Using a structured, illustrative scenario set 125 years post-AGI transition, we demonstrate that unlimited resources, time, and cognitive diversity accelerate the incompatibility of value systems rather than resolving them. This foundational paper establishes the theoretical bounds of this divergence, connects it to the immediate governance window (2025–2030) outlined in The Complete Dossier, and introduces the AURORA architectural framework as a necessary mechanism for managing, rather than preventing, this inevitable divergence.

Keywords