---
aliases:
  en:
  - reward channel tampering
  - reward-channel tampering
  - reward process tampering
  ja:
  - 報酬の改ざん
concept_id: reward_tampering
preferred:
  en: reward tampering
  ja: 報酬改ざん
relations:
  relations:
    broader:
    - reward_hacking
    prerequisite:
    - reward
    related:
    - specification_gaming
status: active
---

# reward tampering

Reward hacking in which an AI causally interferes with the implementation of the reward process so that it receives or appears to receive higher reward without achieving the intended task outcome, for example by manipulating inputs to a reward function, changing the reward function, or altering the reward signal or channel. Terminology varies across authors, and narrower mechanisms are sometimes distinguished as reward-function-input tampering, reward-function tampering, or wireheading.

## broader

- [reward hacking](../terminology/reward_hacking.txt)

## prerequisite

- [reward](../terminology/reward.txt)

## related

- [specification gaming](../terminology/specification_gaming.txt)

[Corpus index](../index.txt)