On Weaponization-Resistant Large Language Models with Prospect Theoretic Alignment

Abstract

Large language models (LLMs) have made significant advancements, but their increasing capabilities present serious risks of misuse, particularly in open-weight models where direct access to the model’s parameters is possible. Current safeguards, designed for closed-weight API models, are inadequate for open-weight models, as minimal fine-tuning can bypass these protections. Preserving the integrity of open-weight LLMs before deployment has thus become a critical challenge. We argue that these vulnerabilities stem from the overemphasis on maximizing the LLM’s log-likelihood during training, which amplifies data biases, especially with large datasets. To address these issues, we introduce Kahneman and Tversky’s Prospect Theoretic Integrity Preserving Alignment (KT-IPA), a framework that prioritizes maximizing generative utility rather than a singular optimization metric. This approach strengthens LLMs against misuse and weaponization while maintaining high performance, even after extensive fine-tuning. Our results demonstrate that integrating prospect theory into LLM training enhances robustness, security, and responsible innovation in this rapidly evolving field. Our codes are available on https://anonymous.4open.science/r/KT-IPA-40B7