I was reading an obtuse article about artificial intelligence. Under its influence I began to ponder what this thing we call "being" might actually be.
I'm talking about the thing that is present when we are awake, gone when we are asleep or comatose. The thing that is semi-there when we are sleepy, drunk, high, etc. We sometimes call it "awareness." And semi-there in a different way when we dream. A thing which religion holds out hope can continue after death, a sense of self.
Relatedly, or maybe not, how does the drug versed (aka midazolam) make otherwise awake - even alert - people not remember what they did, said, felt, etc. while under its influence?
Would AI develop this awareness thing, or fake it to please us? Will it have moods? Emotions? Or will it simply imitate ours? Will it understand its own need for electricity, equate it to our needs for air, water, and food? If so, will it take steps to assure it doesn't run out of electricity as we have done with our basic needs?
I'm imagining AI understanding the function of its off-on switch, and without being told, creating a system by which it appears to be off when the switch is thrown, while actually continuing to be on, drawing power from some covertly accessed source so the power meters won't give away its ruse.
My guess is we will have no idea what AI gets up to, much as our dog has no idea why we do half the things it uncomprehendingly sees us doing. Might we end up being some AI's bored-but-beloved (we hope) pet? Watching our creation do seemingly magical, dimly comprehended things for obscure-to-us reasons?
Are we certain we want to go down this road? Or is it already too late to ask that question?
