Farisco, M., Evers, K., & Changeux, J.
(2024, April 18). arXiv.org.
Abstract
We here analyse the question of developing artificial consciousness from an evolutionary perspective, taking the evolution of the human brain and its relation with consciousness as a reference model. This kind of analysis reveals several structural and functional features of the human brain that appear to be key for reaching human-like complex conscious experience and that current research on Artificial Intelligence (AI) should take into account in its attempt to develop systems capable of conscious processing. We argue that, even if AI is limited in its ability to emulate human consciousness for both intrinsic (structural and architectural) and extrinsic (related to the current stage of scientific and technological knowledge) reasons, taking inspiration from those characteristics of the brain that make conscious processing possible and/or modulate it, is a potentially promising strategy towards developing conscious AI. Also, it is theoretically possible that AI research can develop partial or potentially alternative forms of consciousness that is qualitatively different from the human, and that may be either more or less sophisticated depending on the perspectives. Therefore, we recommend neuroscience-inspired caution in talking about artificial consciousness: since the use of the same word consciousness for humans and AI becomes ambiguous and potentially misleading, we propose to clearly specify what is common and what differs in AI conscious processing from full human conscious experience.
Here are some thoughts:
Biological Basis of Consciousness
The text emphasizes the critical role of the brain's neurobiological complexity, including molecular diversity, neuronal morphology, neurotransmitters, and connectivity patterns, in enabling conscious experience. It argues that these intricate biological mechanisms are often overlooked or oversimplified in current artificial intelligence (AI) and computational models.
Developmental and Evolutionary Aspects
The text highlights the importance of epigenetic brain development and the "non-genetic evolution" that shapes the brain's connectivity through experience-dependent synaptic selection and pruning processes. This variability and incorporation of individual experiences into the brain's "hardware" is seen as a key aspect of human consciousness that is challenging to replicate in artificial systems.
Cultural Transmission and Acquisition
The text discusses how cultural abilities, such as reading and writing, are epigenetically acquired and transmitted across generations, shaping the brain's functional connectomics. This spontaneous genesis and creative re-elaboration of culture is presented as a distinct feature of human consciousness that current AI systems struggle to capture fully.
Limitations of Current AI Approaches
While acknowledging the impressive capabilities of recent AI developments like large language models (LLMs), the text argues that they fundamentally differ from human cognition and conscious processing. It suggests that AI systems may emulate certain aspects of language and reasoning through statistical patterns and parallel processing, but lack the semantic understanding, meaning attribution, and creative re-elaboration that characterize human consciousness.
