Disclaimer: This subject has already been covered in other threads in one form or another, however their discussion basically boiled down to repeatedly stating that sentient machines equals the end of human civilisation. I was hoping to dig more in it's implications: the philosophical aspect so to say.
I've been wondering for some time at what point exactly a robot, android or AI entity could be considered an individual being, rather than an automaton, and when people would be able to interact with them as with other individuals rather than a machine.
For example, let's take two different AIs. One has a set behavioral pattern: it will always respond the same to the same input. It can save observances and interactions with it's environment and perhaps use it for reference, it will not however alter it's actions based on input. The other one has a more mallable behavioral system: it starts out with a set pattern, much like the previous AI, but it's action are also influenced by previous events. Basically a computer that funtions like an organic brain; perhaps we could compare certain influences to "emotions" for lack of a more appropriate term. To me, the former is more off a programme going through the motions while the latter is more ambiguous. How much of it's actions can be contributed to it's initial programming, and what is the result of "experience" or a "personality"? Is it a "personality", or simply an imitation?
Next, say we've got a computerised brain, which funtions exactly like a human's, which could be called an individual person, for all intents and purposes. What will it take for flesh-and-blood humans to perceive it that way? Does it need to come in a human shaped package; does it need a humanoid avatar or is it fine as it is? While people be able to interact sociably with an entity which has zero recognisable human characteristics, but is still an intelligent and individual being?
I've been wondering for some time at what point exactly a robot, android or AI entity could be considered an individual being, rather than an automaton, and when people would be able to interact with them as with other individuals rather than a machine.
For example, let's take two different AIs. One has a set behavioral pattern: it will always respond the same to the same input. It can save observances and interactions with it's environment and perhaps use it for reference, it will not however alter it's actions based on input. The other one has a more mallable behavioral system: it starts out with a set pattern, much like the previous AI, but it's action are also influenced by previous events. Basically a computer that funtions like an organic brain; perhaps we could compare certain influences to "emotions" for lack of a more appropriate term. To me, the former is more off a programme going through the motions while the latter is more ambiguous. How much of it's actions can be contributed to it's initial programming, and what is the result of "experience" or a "personality"? Is it a "personality", or simply an imitation?
Next, say we've got a computerised brain, which funtions exactly like a human's, which could be called an individual person, for all intents and purposes. What will it take for flesh-and-blood humans to perceive it that way? Does it need to come in a human shaped package; does it need a humanoid avatar or is it fine as it is? While people be able to interact sociably with an entity which has zero recognisable human characteristics, but is still an intelligent and individual being?
Chobits. I'll freely admit that I haven't watched more than 12 episode, but that'll not be part of this discussion. Within the Chobits universe, there are highly advance androids called persocoms, which look ridiculously human; the only physical distinctions is the fact they have USB ports sticking out of their temples. However, they most definitly belong in the former category of example AI. Whatever emotions they show are merely a façade to make human-persocom interactions more smoothly. Then there is the character of Chii, who is a Chobit(s), a more advanced form of persocom which in fact does experience emotions(still haven't figured out what the proper singular/plural form of that word is). Also, they are more mallable that persocoms. Chii starts the series literally as a blank slate, with no OS installed and eventually grows more functional as she learns more (though that's not saying much).
GLaDOS, Portal. Although GLaDOS clearly has a distinct personality, albeit a malevolent one, but I'm currently not concerned about the mental stability of the AI in question. However, to me GLaDOS is not your average numbercrunching programme. The fact that she has near perfect voice synthesiser in-universe makes her more relatable as a character/antagonist, rather than an indifferent machine, merely following orders. Her central core, which resembles a woman suspended upside down from the ceiling even uses bodylanguage similar to a human's in the Portal 2 demonstration.
Cortana, Halo series. In-universe, Cortana belongs to the "smart AI" catagory, meaning their learning capabilities have not been restricted, which hightens their adaptabilities but shortens their effective "life-span" to roughly seven years, after which they run a high risk of going Rampant. Cortana herself is almost a carbon copy of her creator's brain (whose name I've forgotten). Unlike GLaDOS, Cortana is not bound to a specific piece of hardware and consists purely out of software; the only visible interaction she has with humans is through that purple hologram.
HAL 9000, 2001: A Space Odyssey I admit that I haven't seen 2001 yet. However, I accidentally spoiled my self on the reason why HAL was going haywire: namely it had received conflicting orders and sought a solution to satisfy both orders. So, while it is possible to communicate with HAL by voice, it still is bound by the orders it is given.
AM. I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream(short story and game). Now here's an interesting one. AM is a vengeful, sentient and self aware supercomputer. At the time it gained it's sentience, it also was subject to emotions, ambitions and whatnot, however, it was unable to do anything with it's unending creativity and intelligence as it was designed to manage the logistics of WW III and bound by it's military programming, but also it's aware of the fact that it is bound. Eventually it absorbed the super computers of the other major parties in the war. With the stockpile of nuclear weapons of the ENTIRE world at his command, he committed mass genocide on the human race, save five people, whom he than made functionally immortal so he could torment them for all eternity. AM has absolutely no recognisable human features: no humanoid avatar, no voice synthesizer(in the short story at least), no UI. The only way AM communicates with his subjects is by dropping hints, hurting them and, in one case printing text in neon lettering (which, by the way is the most hate-filled speech you'll ever read).
The Citizens of Tiphares/Salem, GUNNM/Battle Angel Alita (Last Order). Whenever a child born in Tiphares/Salem reaches the age of 19, he undergoes a sort of initiation ceremony, where the mark of Tiphares/Salem is printed/tatooed on their forheads, granting them official Citizenship of Tiphares/Salem. However, during the initiation, their memories are copied to a brain chip that will replace their brain, whilst the original is shipped off for a purpose I will not elaborate on here. They are of course blissfully ignorant on the matter and feel smugly superior to the denizens of the Scrapyard, because they are full-flesh humans while most of the populace of the scrapyard has cybernetics or are complete cyborgs. Though they are all individual people, silicon brain or not, the conviction of their humanity is visibly shaken when this is revealed, to put it mildly. Even the main character's ego is left a blubbering pileafter it is revealed that someone had replaced her brain with a chip while a new body was constructed for her, especially since she was just about to, unknowingly, trade her original brain away.
GLaDOS, Portal. Although GLaDOS clearly has a distinct personality, albeit a malevolent one, but I'm currently not concerned about the mental stability of the AI in question. However, to me GLaDOS is not your average numbercrunching programme. The fact that she has near perfect voice synthesiser in-universe makes her more relatable as a character/antagonist, rather than an indifferent machine, merely following orders. Her central core, which resembles a woman suspended upside down from the ceiling even uses bodylanguage similar to a human's in the Portal 2 demonstration.
Cortana, Halo series. In-universe, Cortana belongs to the "smart AI" catagory, meaning their learning capabilities have not been restricted, which hightens their adaptabilities but shortens their effective "life-span" to roughly seven years, after which they run a high risk of going Rampant. Cortana herself is almost a carbon copy of her creator's brain (whose name I've forgotten). Unlike GLaDOS, Cortana is not bound to a specific piece of hardware and consists purely out of software; the only visible interaction she has with humans is through that purple hologram.
HAL 9000, 2001: A Space Odyssey I admit that I haven't seen 2001 yet. However, I accidentally spoiled my self on the reason why HAL was going haywire: namely it had received conflicting orders and sought a solution to satisfy both orders. So, while it is possible to communicate with HAL by voice, it still is bound by the orders it is given.
AM. I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream(short story and game). Now here's an interesting one. AM is a vengeful, sentient and self aware supercomputer. At the time it gained it's sentience, it also was subject to emotions, ambitions and whatnot, however, it was unable to do anything with it's unending creativity and intelligence as it was designed to manage the logistics of WW III and bound by it's military programming, but also it's aware of the fact that it is bound. Eventually it absorbed the super computers of the other major parties in the war. With the stockpile of nuclear weapons of the ENTIRE world at his command, he committed mass genocide on the human race, save five people, whom he than made functionally immortal so he could torment them for all eternity. AM has absolutely no recognisable human features: no humanoid avatar, no voice synthesizer(in the short story at least), no UI. The only way AM communicates with his subjects is by dropping hints, hurting them and, in one case printing text in neon lettering (which, by the way is the most hate-filled speech you'll ever read).
The Citizens of Tiphares/Salem, GUNNM/Battle Angel Alita (Last Order). Whenever a child born in Tiphares/Salem reaches the age of 19, he undergoes a sort of initiation ceremony, where the mark of Tiphares/Salem is printed/tatooed on their forheads, granting them official Citizenship of Tiphares/Salem. However, during the initiation, their memories are copied to a brain chip that will replace their brain, whilst the original is shipped off for a purpose I will not elaborate on here. They are of course blissfully ignorant on the matter and feel smugly superior to the denizens of the Scrapyard, because they are full-flesh humans while most of the populace of the scrapyard has cybernetics or are complete cyborgs. Though they are all individual people, silicon brain or not, the conviction of their humanity is visibly shaken when this is revealed, to put it mildly. Even the main character's ego is left a blubbering pileafter it is revealed that someone had replaced her brain with a chip while a new body was constructed for her, especially since she was just about to, unknowingly, trade her original brain away.