The TED AI Show
Could AI really achieve consciousness? w/ neuroscientist Anil Seth
Dec 10, 2024
Anil Seth, a cognitive and computational neuroscience professor at the University of Oxford, dives deep into the fascinating distinction between consciousness and intelligence. He discusses the intricate nature of human consciousness and why AI, despite its advancements, lacks true self-awareness. Anil warns against anthropomorphizing AI, highlighting the risks of overreliance on these technologies. They explore the ethical implications of AI systems, emphasizing the importance of human oversight in our evolving relationship with artificial intelligence.
56:51
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Quick takeaways
- Anil Seth highlights the fundamental difference between intelligence and consciousness, emphasizing that self-aware AI remains a distant possibility rather than an immediate reality.
- The risks of anthropomorphizing AI can lead to misunderstandings about their true capabilities, necessitating a clear distinction between tools and sentient beings.
Deep dives
The Limits of AI Development
Recent concerns in AI research indicate that advancements in artificial intelligence may be plateauing, particularly in relation to pre-training systems. Here, researchers argue that we may be reaching the limits of scaling laws and the quality of available data necessary for further growth. As AI technology has become increasingly sophisticated, the expectation of achieving a breakthrough—such as creating self-aware AI—now seems more distant. This suggests that the journey towards machines capable of independent thought is likely to take longer than initially anticipated.
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