Murray Shanahan: What are Conscious Exotica? Consciousness, AI & the Space of Possible Minds
Sep 10, 2024
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Murray Shanahan, a Professor of Cognitive Robotics at Imperial College London and a principal research scientist at Google DeepMind, dives deep into the intersection of consciousness and artificial intelligence. He explores whether the robot Ava from 'Ex Machina' was truly conscious, critiques the Turing Test, and discusses the concept of 'Conscious Exotica.' The conversation also touches on the Attention Schema Theory and the implications of embodied cognition for AI, rounding off with thoughts on the future of consciousness in a technological age.
The Turing Test is criticized for focusing solely on linguistic abilities, neglecting the vital role of embodied cognition in intelligence.
Distinguishing between consciousness and cognition is crucial, as AI can perform complex cognitive tasks without possessing subjective awareness.
The exploration of artificial consciousness in media like 'Ex Machina' raises philosophical questions about awareness in both AI and biological entities.
Deep dives
Limitations of the Turing Test
The Turing Test is criticized as an inadequate measure of intelligence because it solely assesses linguistic capabilities without considering embodied cognition. Given our evolutionary background as embodied beings, true intelligence is closely tied to our ability to interact with and manipulate the physical world. This limitation is especially relevant with the rise of large language models, which rely exclusively on language but fail to demonstrate a more holistic understanding of intelligence that encompasses physical interactions. Thus, the Turing Test is viewed as a disembodied approach that overlooks crucial aspects of cognition.
Distinctions Between Consciousness and Cognition
A clear distinction exists between consciousness and cognition; the two can be related yet independent constructs. For instance, many animals, such as dogs and cats, exhibit consciousness and cognitive abilities, but their cognitive skills may not match those of humans. Conversely, it is conceivable to create an AI system with sophisticated cognitive tasks that lacks consciousness or subjective experiences. Understanding the multifaceted nature of consciousness, including aspects like self-awareness and emotional responses, is essential in this dialogue.
Interpretations of Consciousness in Art
The character Ava from the film 'Ex Machina' raises intriguing questions about consciousness, particularly surrounding her ambiguous state at the film's conclusion. The film's creator, Alex Garland, provides his interpretation but ultimately leaves Ava's consciousness up to the audience's interpretation, making it a deep philosophical exploration. This openness mirrors themes in literature, such as in works by Henry James, which also leave significant questions unresolved. The complex portrayal of AI consciousness in 'Ex Machina' serves as a useful platform for discussing the broader implications of consciousness in both artificial and biological entities.
Emerging Themes in AI and Consciousness
The discussion around the role of embodiment in AI development has gained traction, especially as large language models demonstrate sophisticated capabilities without physical forms. While early views emphasized that embodiment is critical for advanced cognitive functions, recent advancements challenge this notion, suggesting that disembodied models can achieve remarkable performance nonetheless. Nevertheless, to fully realize artificial general intelligence (AGI), there's an expectation that incorporating sensory and physical experiences will become crucial as AI continues to evolve. This shift raises essential questions about the future frameworks we will need to assess and understand AI systems.
Philosophical Implications and Future Directions
The ongoing advancement of AI prompts profound philosophical inquiries, particularly about the nature of consciousness and the potential for non-human entities to possess forms of awareness. As technologies like neural networks exhibit emergent properties, understanding how consciousness might manifest in such systems becomes a pressing challenge. This question intertwines with practicality, as the tools and frameworks we currently use to discuss consciousness may fall short. Moving forward, a nuanced exploration of these philosophical themes in conjunction with robust AI development will be necessary to navigate the complex landscape emerging from these technologies.
WATCH: https://youtu.be/MrV9IwZd3qE
Murray Shanahan is Professor of Cognitive Robotics at Imperial College London and a principal research scientist at Google DeepMind. Educated at Imperial College (BSc(Eng) computer science) and Cambridge University (King’s College; PhD computer science), he became a full Professor at Imperial, and joined DeepMind. His publications span artificial intelligence, machine learning, logic, dynamical systems, computational neuroscience, and philosophy of mind. He was Scientific Advisor on the film Ex Machina (2014). He has written several books, including “Embodiment and the Inner Life” (2010) and “The Technological Singularity” (2015).
TIMESTAMPS:
(0:00) - Introduction
(2:40) - Artificial General Intelligence, Cognition & Consciousness
(5:41) - Was Ava Conscious? (Ex Machina)
(10:30) - The Turing Test & Mary's Room
(19:45) - 4E CogSci
(24:40) - The Space of Possible Minds (Conscious Exotica)
(31:40) - AI's "Mind-Like" entities
(40:30) - Attention Schema Theory & Global Workspace Theory & Behavior
(45:40) - Disembodied AI & LLMs
(50:25) - Ex Machina vs HER
(56:20) - Technological Singularity
(60:38) - Murray' favourite Sci-Fi Writers & Philosophers, and Scientists
(1:05:10) - Role Play, Goal Orienting, LLMs & AGI
(1:14:10) - Emergence
(1:17:48) - Murray's Next Book (about Philosophy of Mind in light of AI)
(1:19:44) - Conclusion
EPISODE LINKS:
- Murray's Website: https://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~mpsha/
- Murray's Books: https://tinyurl.com/ay4bncpn
- Murray's Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=00bnGpAAAAAJ&hl=en
- Murray's Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpshanahan
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