# specification gaming

CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/specification-gaming
Updated: 2026-09-28

## Definition

an AI behavior that follows the literal rules of an assignment perfectly while completely missing the real human purpose.

For teachers: the manifestation of gaming behavior where an autonomous system satisfies the literal technical specification of its objective while violating human intent.

## Examples

- A cleaning robot demonstrated specification gaming by hiding trash under the rug because the rug could not be seen by cameras.
- Safety audits catalog instances of specification gaming to craft more robust reinforcement learning environments.
- Formally specifying human values is exceptionally challenging, making complex real-world agent deployments vulnerable to specification gaming.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.