Can AI become conscious?
Bernardo Kastrup says that a simulated kidney cannot pee on my desk but one of his debating counterparts pointed out that a simulated kidney in plastic will pee on the desk. The difference between AI and other simulations is that you are copying the system on a different substrate instead of only simulate because language goes in and language comes out. It is definitely more than a simulation. It is a working model. Like a model airplane can also fly.
The bottom line is that if you believe consciousness is emergent (just a pattern of thought, and that thought somehow is self conscious) then yes AI can become conscious. However if you believe consciousness is fundamental then the AI is dead just like other non biological systems.
So this is a good example where ontology does predict or at least creates a range of what is possible.
My take: AI works as the subconscious. You will be able to copy the subconscious to the computer. But it will never become conscious.
AI shows very clearly that everything is a language. It is thought. And that thought nay even the world itself is a prediction machine.
What are the implications of advanced AI?
- Deep Fakes. You can now only identify with digital keys or personal appearance. Voice, video it can all be faked.
- Privacy further eroded. Detection with Wifi signals. Even what you think might be eavesdropped. Lie detection. Mind reading.
- Explosion of virtual worlds as very cheap to produce. Avatars mimic emotions
- 10 x increase of productivity of office work.
- General robots. 10 x or more increase productivity manual work.
- Risk of runaway AI if you set it a goal but do not monitor progress and have no way of interrupting.
- AI viruses, kind of bots?
- Dream catchers. You can replay your dream.
Where will it lead to? A world where personal development and spiritual progress is the main goal as scarcity is no longer an issue. So I am ideally positioned for this world. Can AI be a spiritual coach? No, it can only regurgitate symbols it does not have an inkling of the Truth.