The Nature of AI Understanding

AI's ability to genuinely understand concepts remains a significant question, especially beyond just following instructions. The discussion emphasizes that true understanding in AI should not rely on emotional or experiential evaluations, similar to assessing comprehension in potential alien species. Instead, this understanding should focus on how an AI processes and interacts with information. A key aspect of this exploration involves David Deutsch's constructor theory, which shifts the conversation from how things happen to what is possible, potentially redefining our approach to assessing AI's comprehension capabilities.