Paper Discussion: Conscious artificial intelligence and biological naturalism

SF Philosophy: Join us for an informal philosophy discussion group this Sunday at Rad Radish in San Francisco.

The goal is open-ended, thoughtful conversation in a relaxed setting. No background in philosophy is required, curiosity and respectful discussion are the only prerequisites.

Date: Sunday, May 31
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Rad Radish, San Francisco

This Sunday we will discuss Anil Seth's
"Conscious artificial intelligence and biological naturalism."
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40257177/

Abstract: As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, it is natural to ask whether AI systems can be not only intelligent, but also conscious. I consider why people might think AI could develop consciousness, identifying some biases that lead us astray. I ask what it would take for conscious AI to be a realistic prospect, challenging the assumption that computation provides a sufficient basis for consciousness. I'll instead make the case that consciousness depends on our nature as living organisms - a form of biological naturalism. I lay out a range of scenarios for conscious AI, concluding that real artificial consciousness is unlikely along current trajectories, but becomes more plausible as AI becomes more brain-like and/or life-like. I finish by exploring ethical considerations arising from AI that either is, or convincingly appears to be, conscious. If we sell our minds too cheaply to our machine creations, we not only overestimate them - we underestimate ourselves.