Artificial consciousness

Artificial consciousness,[1] also known as machine consciousness,[2][3] synthetic consciousness,[4] or digital consciousness,[5] is the consciousness hypothesized to be possible in artificial intelligence.[6] It is also the corresponding field of study, which draws insights from philosophy of mind, philosophy of artificial intelligence, cognitive science and neuroscience.

The same terminology can be used with the term "sentience" instead of "consciousness" when specifically designating phenomenal consciousness (the ability to feel qualia).[7] Since sentience involves the ability to experience ethically positive or negative (i.e., valenced) mental states, it may justify welfare concerns and legal protection, as with animals.[8]

Some scholars believe that consciousness is generated by the interoperation of various parts of the brain; these mechanisms are labeled the neural correlates of consciousness or NCC. Some further believe that constructing a system (e.g., a computer system) that can emulate this NCC interoperation would result in a system that is conscious.[9]

  1. ^ Thaler, S. L. (1998). "The emerging intelligence and its critical look at us". Journal of Near-Death Studies. 17 (1): 21–29. doi:10.1023/A:1022990118714. S2CID 49573301.
  2. ^ Gamez 2008.
  3. ^ Reggia 2013.
  4. ^ Smith, David Harris; Schillaci, Guido (2021). "Build a Robot With Artificial Consciousness? How to Begin? A Cross-Disciplinary Dialogue on the Design and Implementation of a Synthetic Model of Consciousness". Frontiers in Psychology. 12: 530560. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.530560. ISSN 1664-1078. PMC 8096926. PMID 33967869.
  5. ^ Elvidge, Jim (2018). Digital Consciousness: A Transformative Vision. John Hunt Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-78535-760-2. Archived from the original on 2023-07-30. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  6. ^ Chrisley, Ron (October 2008). "Philosophical foundations of artificial consciousness". Artificial Intelligence in Medicine. 44 (2): 119–137. doi:10.1016/j.artmed.2008.07.011. PMID 18818062.
  7. ^ "The Terminology of Artificial Sentience". Sentience Institute. Archived from the original on 2024-09-25. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Graziano 2013.