03 Apr 2024
Exploring the nature of our consciousness in light of advancements in AI, and what this means for the future of humankind
On April 3, 2024, SmallTalX welcomed Prof Bruce Bassett from UCT's Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics to the Franschhoek Theatre, where he gave a talk on the highly relevant subject of Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) to a sold-out audience.
This article was featured in Bolander Lifestyle in the lead-up to the talk.
With the advent of technologies like OpenAI's ChatGPT, the landscape of knowledge work has been transformed, raising questions once again about whether human labour and contributions have become obsolete in yet another area. This prospect understandably fills many with fear. However, while this fear of artificial intelligence (AI) and its capabilities should be acknowledged, it should also be balanced with insights from experts who can help us stay informed about these changes. These advancements are revolutionising our collective processing power as humans and are poised to propel us to new heights. Nonetheless, we anticipate significant costs. The word "uncertainty" frequently comes to mind.
It is often crucial to pause and gain a clear understanding of the fundamentals of AI, beyond just being a buzzword. What truly qualifies something as AI? Prof Bassett guides the audience to revisit the history of AI, define the basics of neural networks, and consider how, for decades, people have been exploring the workings of the human brain to model, emulate, or even exceed human cognitive, creative, and problem-solving abilities—leading us to the concept of ASI. Many might be surprised to learn that the traditional AI benchmark, the 'Turing Test,' which measures if machine interaction is indistinguishable from human interaction, has already been surpassed. So, where does that leave us in assessing our position relative to artificial intelligence? What distinguishes human cognition from that of AI? What is the essence of our minds and cognitive processes? Is there a point where we consider AI to be alive or sentient due to its cognitive abilities? Prof. Bruce Bassett's talk certainly opens up numerous questions, often raising more inquiries than we can answer, but it also updates us on the existential questions posed by the emergence of increasingly advanced AI models. This doesn't even address the ethical aspects of this field...
Prof. Bruce Bassett provided updates on the current capabilities of AI, which extend beyond language processing to include image and video generation. It's fascinating to ponder whether, with additional sensory inputs like optics and enhanced image and video generation abilities, AI might advance further towards generalised intelligence and ultimately ASI.
Prof Bassett also mentioned that the current AI models are not limited to just OpenAI's ChatGPT, highlighting the breadth of research and development efforts aimed at enhancing AI capabilities. Clearly, the potential of AI is only beginning to unfold...
Without a doubt, SmallTalX will invite Prof Bruce Bassett back - not just to engage a larger audience, but also to share updates on the rapid advancements in AI. These developments are crucial as they impact the economy, our daily lives, and problem-solving, while also reflecting on the nature of human minds and consciousness. We look forward to having you join us to catch up on these thrilling and sometimes daunting advancements! Stay tuned for updates!