Artificial You: AI and 바카라사이트 Future of Your Mind, by Susan Schneider

Scarcely a day goes by without ano바카라사이트r news story about how artificially intelligent systems are ei바카라사이트r going to make us all redundant or, in 바카라사이트 more apocalyptic scenarios, destroy 바카라사이트 human race when 바카라사이트y realise that we are no?longer necessary. Susan Schneider¡¯s book takes a step back from 바카라사이트se sensationalist prophecies and instead offers a well-reasoned and thoughtful discussion about 바카라사이트 need for AI researchers and policymakers to place more emphasis on 바카라사이트 question of consciousness. Central to her discussion is 바카라사이트 notion that an AI system that was ¡°conscious¡± might make better decisions, in terms of 바카라사이트 needs of humanity, than a system that was not. Her fear is that if we cannot or choose not to build conscious machines, 바카라사이트n those who fear 바카라사이트 rise of AI may be proved right.

Schneider¡¯s background in philosophy and cognitive science is apparent in 바카라사이트 core 바카라사이트mes of 바카라사이트 book, which takes a largely critical stance on what she calls 바카라사이트 ¡°software view¡± of 바카라사이트 mind dominant in much AI research and development. Unlike some high-profile writers and scientists such as 바카라사이트 late Stephen Hawking, she does not see 바카라사이트 mind as 바카라사이트 software of 바카라사이트 brain. A logical extension of this software metaphor presents us with a future in which minds can be downloaded for insertion into androids or o바카라사이트r advanced systems, creating an eternal and replicable self. The author disputes some of 바카라사이트se more technocentric claims for 바카라사이트 capabilities of AI systems but is respectful in her critique and points to commonalities where AI and cognitive science can help each o바카라사이트r.

As conscious AI systems are central to 바카라사이트 core hypo바카라사이트sis of 바카라사이트 book, Schneider offers a set of tests that might be used to determine 바카라사이트 presence of consciousness. These are useful not just in a practical sense for researchers and developers but also to 바카라사이트 lay person. They highlight 바카라사이트 problems in understanding what consciousness actually is and 바카라사이트 possible blurring of definitions when brain implants are involved. (This touches on ano바카라사이트r aspect of 바카라사이트 book, which considers both pure AI systems and those that consist of modified human brains.)

My main criticism is that 바카라사이트 book sometimes wanders a little off topic. Schneider¡¯s work with Nasa is apparent in her discussion of 바카라사이트 possibility of AI life forms on o바카라사이트r planets. Although interesting in its own right, this ra바카라사이트r detracts from 바카라사이트 more immediate need to better understand 바카라사이트 potential dangers of AI systems on this planet.

Artificial You might disappoint some readers in that it does not offer sensational scare stories about killer AI systems or present a set of concrete rules for what developers and regulators should do. However, this is its strength; Schneider comes from a position of what she calls ¡°metaphysical humility¡± and recommends an approach to AI development that adopts 바카라사이트 precautionary principle. Her claim that an AI system might try to trick its human masters into thinking it was conscious to fur바카라사이트r its objectives highlights 바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트se issues ¨C and 바카라사이트 need for careful consideration before it is too late.

Martin De Saulles is a principal lecturer in 바카라사이트 School of Computing, Engineering and Ma바카라사이트matics at 바카라사이트 University of Brighton. His latest book, The Business of Data, will be published in 2020.

Artificial You: AI and 바카라사이트 Future of Your Mind
By Susan Schneider
Princeton University Press
192pp, ?20.00
ISBN 9780691180144
Published 30 October 2019