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| AI creators must study consciousness, experts warn | AI creators must study consciousness, experts warn |
| (1 day later) | |
| An open letter signed by dozens of academics from around the world calls on artificial-intelligence developers to learn more about consciousness, as AI systems become more advanced. | An open letter signed by dozens of academics from around the world calls on artificial-intelligence developers to learn more about consciousness, as AI systems become more advanced. |
| "It is no longer in the realm of science fiction to imagine AI systems having feelings and even human-level consciousness," it says. | "It is no longer in the realm of science fiction to imagine AI systems having feelings and even human-level consciousness," it says. |
| Most experts agree AI is nowhere near this level of sophistication. | Most experts agree AI is nowhere near this level of sophistication. |
| But it is evolving rapidly and some say developments should be paused. | But it is evolving rapidly and some say developments should be paused. |
| Raise awareness | Raise awareness |
| The term AI covers computer systems able to do tasks that would normally need human intelligence. This includes chatbots able to understand questions and respond with human-like answers, and systems capable of recognising objects in pictures. | The term AI covers computer systems able to do tasks that would normally need human intelligence. This includes chatbots able to understand questions and respond with human-like answers, and systems capable of recognising objects in pictures. |
| Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4), an AI system developed by ChatGPT chatbot creator OpenAI, can now successfully complete the bar exam, the professional qualification for lawyers, although it still makes mistakes and can share misinformation. | Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4), an AI system developed by ChatGPT chatbot creator OpenAI, can now successfully complete the bar exam, the professional qualification for lawyers, although it still makes mistakes and can share misinformation. |
| But this is just one function of AI. AI products are being deployed in many sectors, including health research, marketing and finance. | But this is just one function of AI. AI products are being deployed in many sectors, including health research, marketing and finance. |
| Technology billionaire Elon Musk co-signed a recent letter saying further AI developments should be put on hold until effective safety measures could be designed and implemented. | Technology billionaire Elon Musk co-signed a recent letter saying further AI developments should be put on hold until effective safety measures could be designed and implemented. |
| And on Tuesday, his ex-wife, Tallulah Riley, tweeted artificial general intelligence (AGI) - AI capable of human-level intellectual tasks - needed "the equivalent of [environmental activist] Greta Thunberg" to raise awareness and encourage public debate. | And on Tuesday, his ex-wife, Tallulah Riley, tweeted artificial general intelligence (AGI) - AI capable of human-level intellectual tasks - needed "the equivalent of [environmental activist] Greta Thunberg" to raise awareness and encourage public debate. |
| Watch: What is artificial intelligence? | Watch: What is artificial intelligence? |
| Watch: What is artificial intelligence? | Watch: What is artificial intelligence? |
| The Association for Mathematical Consciousness Science (AMCS), which has compiled the open letter, titled "The responsible development of AI agenda needs to include consciousness research", said it did not have a view on whether AI development in general should be paused. | The Association for Mathematical Consciousness Science (AMCS), which has compiled the open letter, titled "The responsible development of AI agenda needs to include consciousness research", said it did not have a view on whether AI development in general should be paused. |
| But it pushed for a greater scientific understanding of consciousness, how it could apply to AI and how society might live alongside it. | But it pushed for a greater scientific understanding of consciousness, how it could apply to AI and how society might live alongside it. |
| "The rapid development of AI is exposing the urgent need to accelerate research in the field of consciousness science," the letter says. | "The rapid development of AI is exposing the urgent need to accelerate research in the field of consciousness science," the letter says. |
| Its signatories include Dr Susan Schneider, a former NASA professor, as well as academics from universities in the UK, US and Europe. | |
| Expressed feelings | Expressed feelings |
| Last year, a Google engineer was fired after claiming an AI system was sentient. | Last year, a Google engineer was fired after claiming an AI system was sentient. |
| Blake Lemoine wrote Google's large language model Lamda, which underpins its ChatGPT rival, Bard, expressed feelings. | Blake Lemoine wrote Google's large language model Lamda, which underpins its ChatGPT rival, Bard, expressed feelings. |
| Google has maintained Lamda was doing exactly what it had been programmed to do - communicate in a human-like way. | Google has maintained Lamda was doing exactly what it had been programmed to do - communicate in a human-like way. |
| But Google boss Sundar Pichai recently told US news platform CBS he did not "fully understand" how Bard worked. | But Google boss Sundar Pichai recently told US news platform CBS he did not "fully understand" how Bard worked. |
| The human mind was not fully understood either, he added, which is why the AMCS is calling for more research. | The human mind was not fully understood either, he added, which is why the AMCS is calling for more research. |
| But there is as much excitement as nervousness around AI. It is the big buzzword in big tech and investment money is pouring in to AI-related projects. | But there is as much excitement as nervousness around AI. It is the big buzzword in big tech and investment money is pouring in to AI-related projects. |
| Released in November, ChatGPT, became an instant viral sensation, the populist "face" of AI, with millions of people trying it out. | Released in November, ChatGPT, became an instant viral sensation, the populist "face" of AI, with millions of people trying it out. |
| Using the internet as a database, it can give written answers to questions in a natural, human-like way. | Using the internet as a database, it can give written answers to questions in a natural, human-like way. |
| Microsoft, which has invested heavily in OpenAI, says AI can take "the drudgery" out of mundane jobs such as office administration. | Microsoft, which has invested heavily in OpenAI, says AI can take "the drudgery" out of mundane jobs such as office administration. |
| A recent report by Goldman Sachs suggests AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs. | A recent report by Goldman Sachs suggests AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs. |
| And while the AI industry will create new human jobs, they are likely to require new skills. | And while the AI industry will create new human jobs, they are likely to require new skills. |
| Follow Zoe Kleinman on Twitter @zsk | Follow Zoe Kleinman on Twitter @zsk |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Artificial intelligence | Artificial intelligence |