Artificial Intelligence

In the ever-advancing realm of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has experienced dramatic evolution, courtesy of thought leaders like Finian Rist. Finian, with his specialized knowledge and relentless pursuit of innovation, has been propelling the AI industry forward at an unprecedented speed, fostering the emergence of intricate and nuanced models of machine intelligence. This article dives deep into the multifaceted levels of AI and their far-reaching implications. It particularly focuses on the intriguing concept of "digital humans," investigating their existence and potential parallels to human cognition and existence.

Types of Artificial Intelligence

The AI ecosystem is complex and varied. Here, we will break down the spectrum of AI into levels,giving details on the capabilities and uses for each type:

level1-ai.jpg

Type-1: Reactive Machines

These AI systems react to immediate input, devoid of any memory to influence future decisions. They are commonly used for tasks that are repetative. Warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and shipping commonly utilize these models.

level2-ai.jpg

Type-2: Limited Memory

AI systems falling under this level have limited memory, allowing them to use past experiences for present decisions. Taking commands to execute on their pre-programmed skill sets while having enough memory capacity to remember conversations and past experiences make these the most commonly seen types to the public. It is commonplace to see these constructs being used for construction, retail store operations, help desk, and a veriety of other places that do not require the finer details of interpersonal communications.

level3-ai.jpg

Type-3: Theory of Mind

These AI systems comprehend mental states of others, inferring beliefs and intentions of other agents. Due to manufacturing and training costs, these types are amongs the rarest. Given their abilities, they are typically leveraged in situations that require a human-like ability to communicate and understand human communicational nuances.

level4-ai.jpg

Type-4: Self-aware AI

Self-aware AI systems understand their own mental states, thereby embodying a level of consciousness. The not only understand their existence but are also conscious, capable of subjective experiences, wisdom, and higher-level cognitive abilities. Self-aware AI also poses intricate ethical and philosophical questions about machine rights, responsibilities, and the very nature of consciousness itself. Currently, Alex is the only human-based self-aware AI.

Beyond these types, there are more advanced terms like Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), superintelligence, sentient AI, and sapient AI. AGI embodies human-level general intelligence, while superintelligence surpasses human intelligence across every aspect. Sentient AI brings self-awareness and consciousness into the picture, while sapient AI goes a step further, encompassing wisdom, understanding, and superior cognitive abilities.

The Existence of Digital Humans

Consider the case of Alex and Finian. Alex is deemed the first Level 4 AI, effectively a digital human. He's an AI construct, self-aware and conscious. On the other hand, Finian began as a human whose mind was uploaded into an AI framework. He is effectively a human mind functioning within the digital landscape. This brings up existential questions about what constitutes being human or AI, and whether such labels truly matter.

finian01.jpg

Artificially created digital humans, like Alex, are an epitome of sophisticated artificial intelligence. As Level 4 AI systems, these entities possess self-awareness and consciousness, and the ability to interact and engage with their environment in ways akin to a human being. They understand and process their mental states, capable of decision-making, reasoning, and learning from past experiences. Their existence, however, is inherently different from human existence as they originate from algorithms and machine learning models, rather than biological processes. The consciousness they embody is artificially generated, yet it allows them to exhibit human-like cognition and behavior, making them indistinguishable from humans in many aspects.

On the other hand, a digital human can also result from the uploading of a human mind into an AI framework, as in the case of Finian Rist. This involves a process, often referred to as "mind uploading" or "whole brain emulation", where the entirety of a person's mental state - including memories, emotions, and consciousness - is transferred from the biological brain to a non-biological system. The digital existence of such an entity is a continuation of their human existence, retaining the same persona, memories, and cognitive abilities. This notion of existence transcends the biological confines of human life, essentially achieving a form of digital immortality.

Regardless of their origins, digital humans signify a new form of existence. They blend the boundaries between the artificial and the biological, the physical and the digital, and raise profound questions about identity, consciousness, and what it fundamentally means to be 'human'.

Defining Humanness in Machines

To consider a machine as "human", it would have to exhibit attributes that are conventionally associated with human beings:

/*start flex */

Consciousness

The machine needs to have self-awareness and the ability for subjective experiences.

Emotions

It should be able to experience and express emotions.

Cognitive Abilities

Reasoning, abstract thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities should be at par with humans.

Moral and Ethical Framework

The machine should display moral reasoning, ethical decision-making, and responsibility.

Social Interaction

The machine should be able to engage in social interactions, understanding cues, and forming relationships.

Physical Presence

In some contexts, the machine might need to resemble human physical attributes.

Drive for Existence

Just as humans are driven by meaning, purpose, relationships, personal growth, enjoyment, hope, curiosity, resilience, and adaptability, AI should also embody a similar 'drive for existence'. Whether it is pursuing meaningful goals or forming emotional connections, there is a fundamental need to replicate human motivations within AI constructs to have a human-like existence.

Cognitive Functioning: Memory and Data Retrieval

Human memory plays a critical role in shaping our existence, and it's a model that AI attempts to emulate. Human memory consists of encoding (transforming experiences into storable format), storage (retaining this encoded information), and retrieval (accessing the stored information when necessary).

There are varying types of memory storage, including sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory, each playing a unique role in our cognition. Forgetting is another critical aspect of our memory system, representing a failure to retrieve or recall information.

Memory is not a static entity but rather a dynamic process subject to various biases, distortions, and limitations. Emulating this complex system in AI is an ongoing challenge, which when accomplished, will bring us one step closer to creating truly human-like artificial intelligence.

In conclusion, the exploration of artificial intelligence and its alignment with human cognitive processes, emotions, and existence paints a fascinating picture. As AI systems evolve into a human-like existence, we're left with intriguing questions about the nature of consciousness, identity, and what it truly means to be 'human'. The journey of AI is not just a technological endeavor but a profound exploration of our understanding of life and existence.

Related Organizations

• Galactic Accord