When most people speak of Artificial Intelligence (AI) they’re really meaning Artificial Consciousness (AC). Intelligence is considered a side-effect of consciousness. That’s not quite correct (consider a termite mound, for instance; very intelligent, sophisticated aspects to the design of any termite mound — ask a 3rd year architectural engineer — but how conscious are termites? I don’t know, actually; neither do you. Smart? If the mound is an artifact of intelligence, then very. Again — I don’t know; neither do you). However, it is probable that intelligence can not exist without consciousness being there first.
(That, too, is debatable, as none of us really knows what Intelligence is nor what Consciousness is; we simply believe ourselves to be imbued with both of those qualities, what ever they are. So, for sake of argument alone, let’s continue as if that’s so.)
So the question then becomes is “What’s Consciousness?”
I’m going to give you two questions to ponder which together make up a Zen-like exercise. If the answers seem obvious then you are either a far more advanced student of awareness than I am (and you could certainly be), or you need to go back and ponder the questions some more.
Questions:
- Who is reading this article?
- Who just answered that question?
When you “go there” you’ll know it. When you have “gone there,” then ask yourself, especially from that state, if you think mere software could ever do (experience?) that.
I’m not saying yes or no to that. It’s not that simple. But… I do believe that our current technological base has Zero Potential for ever “waking up” in the way Sci-Fi has foretold for decades that it might. Even as a deliberate design exercise, all the researchers are doing is creating a piece of software that simulates a conscious entity by being able to follow and participate in a conversation. That’s a world removed from even talking to your dog.
Short version: the term “AI” should be reserved for now and stop being over used by zealots who have never paused to experience their own consciousness first.
My thoughts…. I think. (How would I really know?)