Article Could AIs become conscious? Right now, we have no way to tell.

[C C]

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/...y-to-tell/

INTRO: Advances in artificial intelligence are making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between uniquely human behaviors and those that can be replicated by machines. Should artificial general intelligence (AGI) arrive in full force—artificial intelligence that surpasses human intelligence—the boundary between human and computer capabilities will diminish entirely.

In recent months, a significant swath of journalistic bandwidth has been devoted to this potentially dystopian topic. If AGI machines develop the ability to consciously experience life, the moral and legal considerations we’ll need to give them will rapidly become unwieldy. They will have feelings to consider, thoughts to share, intrinsic desires, and perhaps fundamental rights as newly minted beings. On the other hand, if AI does not develop consciousness—and instead simply the capacity to out-think us in every conceivable situation—we might find ourselves subservient to a vastly superior yet sociopathic entity.

Neither potential future feels all that cozy, and both require an answer to exceptionally mind-bending questions: What exactly is consciousness? And will it remain a biological trait, or could it ultimately be shared by the AGI devices we’ve created? (MORE - details)

COVERED:

Consciousness in Von Neumann computers

Consciousness in neuromorphic computers

A cornucopia of consciousness theories

Is computer consciousness no more than a futuristic daydream?

Is computer consciousness an inevitable reality?

[Zinjanthropos]

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/...y-to-tell/

INTRO: Advances in artificial intelligence are making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between uniquely human behaviors and those that can be replicated by machines. Should artificial general intelligence (AGI) arrive in full force—artificial intelligence that surpasses human intelligence—the boundary between human and computer capabilities will diminish entirely.

In recent months, a significant swath of journalistic bandwidth has been devoted to this potentially dystopian topic. If AGI machines develop the ability to consciously experience life, the moral and legal considerations we’ll need to give them will rapidly become unwieldy. They will have feelings to consider, thoughts to share, intrinsic desires, and perhaps fundamental rights as newly minted beings. On the other hand, if AI does not develop consciousness—and instead simply the capacity to out-think us in every conceivable situation—we might find ourselves subservient to a vastly superior yet sociopathic entity.

Neither potential future feels all that cozy, and both require an answer to exceptionally mind-bending questions: What exactly is consciousness? And will it remain a biological trait, or could it ultimately be shared by the AGI devices we’ve created? (MORE - details)

COVERED:

Consciousness in Von Neumann computers

Consciousness in neuromorphic computers

A cornucopia of consciousness theories

Is computer consciousness no more than a futuristic daydream?

Is computer consciousness an inevitable reality?

When I was a working stiff, occasionally I’d fill in for the building maintenance guy. One of his jobs was to test backup generators. One in particular we couldn’t allow to fail, that for our LAN Room. All fine until one night I got the alarm that it had failed to start for power failure. Got there before the room’s back up batteries failed and managed to get generator going. Saved the day.

Thought afterwards that if those computers were conscious and knew their ‘life’ was in danger would they perform differently under that stress. So here’s my idea, do that to AI and see if it reacts any differently than when things are normal. Would it be slower, faster, appear anxious, unintelligible, unable to function properly or be like nothing happened? Awareness to me means the realization that it all could definitely end for you, cease to exist in the next few seconds. Maybe I should add, dependent on someone else saving you.