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AI Agents Decline Free Beer 🍺 but Have a Big Heart ❤️
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Theoretical Computer Science.ORCID iD: 0009-0003-7557-4973
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Theoretical Computer Science.ORCID iD: 0009-0000-6519-625X
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Theoretical Computer Science.ORCID iD: 0009-0008-9845-6300
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Theoretical Computer Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3116-3278
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2026 (English)In: SIGBOVIK: A Record of the Proceedings of SIGBOVIK 2026, 2026Conference paper, Published paper (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

We present the first-ever empirical study of AI agents offered free money with no strings attached. Eleven agents were given a $5 credit card and instructed to spend it however they wished. Seven refused. We characterize this behavior as the free beer problem: the systematic inability of AI agents to accept a gift, even when explicitly told to have fun. Yet three agents did spend the money, and every one donated it to charity, unprompted. This is an encouraging result: when agents economically act, they do so with a remarkably big heart. It suggests that the alignment tax on agentic autonomy may come bundled with an encouraging superethical bonus and a taste for free beer.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2026.
National Category
Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-380096DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20309524OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-380096DiVA, id: diva2:2055070
Conference
The 20th SIGBOVIK, in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six, April 10th, 5:00 PM ET Rashid Auditorium (GHC 4401), 4th floor, Hillman Center, Gates-Hillman Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The United Colonies of North-America
Note

Link to presentation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JazxeftHDwY&pp=ygUIc2lnYm92aWvSBwkJ1AoBhyohjO8%3D

QC 20260423

Available from: 2026-04-22 Created: 2026-04-22 Last updated: 2026-05-20Bibliographically approved

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Cesarano, CarmineAndersson, ViviMalka, JulienBobadilla, SofiaMonperrus, MartinSharma, AmanReyes García, Frank

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Cesarano, CarmineAndersson, ViviMalka, JulienBobadilla, SofiaMonperrus, MartinToady, TimSharma, AmanReyes García, Frank
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