# AI safety

The practice of protecting against harm that an AI system may cause or help cause, whether by its own mistakes or by doing what a person asks when it shouldn't.

AI systems can sometimes act in a way that is harmful (e.g. deleting the wrong files, giving bad advice) even without an external party that has malicious intent. Systems need to be protected against themselves by having guardrails and safety nets to prevent unintended outcomes.

The other half: AI security

Source: https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon/ai-safety (version 1.0, changed 2026-10-21)