Are animals and computers conscious in the same way humans are?
The video “Are animals and computers conscious in the same way humans are?” dives into a thought-provoking discussion about the nature of consciousness in animals, humans, and artificial intelligence. Reid Hoffman, a renowned tech entrepreneur and investor, delves into the similarities and differences in thinking patterns among these entities.
Hoffman challenges the common belief that animals do not possess the ability to think on a complex level, pointing out the intricate behaviors and social structures observed in various species. He also delves into the realm of artificial intelligence, highlighting the advancements in technology that have enabled machines to exhibit patterns of thought, albeit different from human cognition.
The conversation invites viewers to ponder the implications of these findings on our understanding of consciousness and intelligence. Are animals and AI capable of thinking in ways that mirror human thought processes? If so, what does this mean for the future of technology and humanity as a whole?
Tackling these complex questions, the video prompts viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness of consciousness across different beings, shedding light on the diverse ways in which thinking manifests in the world.
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So it’s like well thinking is what humans do yeah and you’re like well we certainly are a very good example of thinking beings and creatures but think about all the other thinking creatures like we generally are very negative on like how other animals think and like
They think a lot more than we think they do I mean they pair bond they mate for life they they they they coordinate in packs and groups I mean there’s all kinds of things and we say well they don’t really think the way we think well
Of course they don’t think the way we think but they do think right well now we also have another pattern of thinking how how do these machines think because by the way they are thinking today too they’re not thinking the way we are they may not be thinking at our level of
Capability in some regards but it’s a pattern of thought right and so you think about okay how do we understand all of these different patterns of thought and where are they similar and where are they different
Author Video Description
Reid Hoffman is one of the world’s best-known tech entrepreneurs and investors. Perhaps best known for his role in helping to co-found LinkedIn, he’s also an accomplished writer and a student of philosophy. Reid was an early investor and advisor to OpenAI, the startup responsible for creating what is likely the best-known artificial intelligence tool in the world, ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a large language model that answers questions put to it in natural language. For example, what are the challenges in trying to understand the nature of consciousness? Reid explored the ins and outs of this emerging technology by actually co-authoring his most recent book, “Impromptu” with GPT-4.
In this excerpt from Dispatches from The Well, our host Kmele Foster sat down with Reid Hoffman to discuss how artificial intelligence could help us better understand human intelligence and what it means to be conscious. He debates the consciousness of animals and compares them to computers, explaining how “thinking” appears to look different from species to species, but that may not be the case. Do animals think like we do? What about AI? And, if the answer is yes, what does that mean for the future of technology and humanity as a whole?
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Video “Are animals and computers conscious in the same way humans are?” was uploaded on 01/27/2024 to Youtube Channel Big Think