What Is Artificial Intelligence Consciousness And How Far Away Is It?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a computer system capable of executing processes akin to those of the human mind. Today, AI can replicate many of our cognitive functions. There are programs that can autonomously drive vehicles, identify faces, and compose music. Most people carry a device in their pocket that can interpret speech, solve mathematical equations, and outperform people in chess. Yet, the question remains: Is there any capability unique to the human mind that AI will never replicate?

The question of AI consciousness looms large in scientific and philosophical circles, with ongoing debates about whether AI systems could ever possess conscious experiences akin to human beings. Recent efforts by computer scientists, neuroscientists, and philosophers have sought to devise a framework to evaluate the potential consciousness of AI systems. These efforts do not aim to definitively prove AI consciousness but rather propose a detailed checklist of attributes drawn from theories of human consciousness. And, those who lean toward it happening, don’t seem to know when it may happen.

In a 120-page discussion paper, researchers have outlined 14 criteria that, when considered together, could suggest the presence of consciousness in AI. This checklist represents a systematic approach to evaluate increasingly humanlike AI architectures, including large language models such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. 

No AI is likely to be conscious, they concluded. “Artificial intelligence might be ubiquitous but artificial consciousness is out of reach,” Dr Tom McClelland, a lecturer in the Faculty of Philosophy and a College Research Associate at Clare, told Clare College in the UK.

However, the research provides a framework for assessing AI systems that are becoming more humanlike, co-author Robert Long from the Center for AI Safety, a nonprofit based in San Francisco. “We are introducing a systematic methodology that was previously absent,” told the American Brain Foundation.

AI architectures meet the criteria for consciousness, but their work provides a critical framework for future evaluations as AI technologies evolve, Science reported.

Photo by Google DeepMind: https://www.pexels.com/photo/an-artist-s-illustration-of-artificial-intelligence-ai-this-image-represents-how-machine-learning-is-inspired-by-neuroscience-and-the-human-brain-it-was-created-by-novoto-studio-as-par-17483869/