The Truth About Conscious AI

It’s a question of “when”, not “if”

We need to make sure we’re defining AI the same way. There are two kinds of robots. The first is either controlled by a human being in real time or is programmed to do and say specific things. For example, The Predator is a drone designed to fire missiles at terrorists. The drone itself is not choosing the targets, it is instead receiving input from humans about where its targets reside. Similarly, autonomous cars are not truly driving. They are merely following a set of provided guidelines and information from specific GPS systems.

These kinds of robots already exist and will continue to more deeply engrain themselves in our lives. However, these are machines that are not truly “intelligent”. We still decide everything that they will say and do.

The future — humanity’s real triumph — lies in the second kind of robot. The one that can think for itself and make decisions on its own. This kind of robot does not need human input.

Machine Brains and Biological Brains

Biological neural networks are entirely different from those of computers. Computers cannot work in parts. Removing a single transistor in the central processor results in a total system failure, whereas brains can function even when missing large…