A Google engineer’s claims that a chatbot can feel things has prompted people to consider what consciousness means. It also begs the questions of the rights of sentient software and machines.
Kyle Mahowald, The University of Texas at Austin et Anna A. Ivanova, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Fluent expression is not always evidence of a mind at work, but the human brain is primed to believe so. A pair of cognitive linguistics experts explain why language is not a good test of sentience.
A Google engineer claims one of the company’s chatbots has become sentient. Experts disagree, but the debate raises old questions about the nature of consciousness.
It’s not only banner-waving activists who care about animal welfare, a recent government report found the majority of people surveyed have concerns and want reform.
Nicholas Agar, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
We’re on the way to making machines that appear and act human, and can think for themselves. So how will they react to our behaviour towards them, especially the bad behaviour?