Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Note on the Text
- Introduction
- 1 Which Disciplines Are Concerned with the Intersections of Science, Technology, and Society? What Are Some of Their Core Contributions?
- 2 Do Science and Technology Shape Society or Does Society Shape Science and Technology?
- 3 Where Do Scientific and Technological Innovation Come From? Can Innovation Be Deliberately Promoted, or Do We Just Have to Wait for the Light Bulbs to Go Off?
- 4 When and How Do New Technologies Spread through Society? Why Do Some Die on the Vine?
- 5 What Can We Learn by Comparing the Combination of Science, Technology, and Society in Different Parts of the World and at Different Times in History?
- 6 Can a Technology Be Inherently Good or Bad for Society, or Is That a Matter of What We Do with It?
- 7 How Can One Be a Savvy Consumer of Increasingly Complex Scientific Research?
- 8 Do Children Develop Differently in a Digitally Saturated World? Is Digital Technology Helping Children Thrive – or Stunting Them?
- 9 What Is “Big Data” and Why Does It Make Such a Big Difference?
- 10 Do Algorithms Make Wise and Fair Decisions?
- 11 Are New Technologies Beneficial to Liberal Democracy and Good Governance – or Wreaking Havoc on Them?
- 12 Does Technological Progress Make People Happier?
- 13 What Has the Relationship between Sex, Gender, Science, and Technology Been – and What Might It Be?
- 14 What Are Digital Divides and Why Do They Matter?
- 15 How Do Science and Technology Impact International Development, and How Might They Lead to a More Sustainable Global Community?
- 16 Will AI Be Conscious?
- 17 Will the AI Robot Economy Be a Golden Age or a Dystopian Era?
- 18 Will AI Create Great Art?
- Select Bibliography
- Index
16 - Will AI Be Conscious?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 September 2025
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Note on the Text
- Introduction
- 1 Which Disciplines Are Concerned with the Intersections of Science, Technology, and Society? What Are Some of Their Core Contributions?
- 2 Do Science and Technology Shape Society or Does Society Shape Science and Technology?
- 3 Where Do Scientific and Technological Innovation Come From? Can Innovation Be Deliberately Promoted, or Do We Just Have to Wait for the Light Bulbs to Go Off?
- 4 When and How Do New Technologies Spread through Society? Why Do Some Die on the Vine?
- 5 What Can We Learn by Comparing the Combination of Science, Technology, and Society in Different Parts of the World and at Different Times in History?
- 6 Can a Technology Be Inherently Good or Bad for Society, or Is That a Matter of What We Do with It?
- 7 How Can One Be a Savvy Consumer of Increasingly Complex Scientific Research?
- 8 Do Children Develop Differently in a Digitally Saturated World? Is Digital Technology Helping Children Thrive – or Stunting Them?
- 9 What Is “Big Data” and Why Does It Make Such a Big Difference?
- 10 Do Algorithms Make Wise and Fair Decisions?
- 11 Are New Technologies Beneficial to Liberal Democracy and Good Governance – or Wreaking Havoc on Them?
- 12 Does Technological Progress Make People Happier?
- 13 What Has the Relationship between Sex, Gender, Science, and Technology Been – and What Might It Be?
- 14 What Are Digital Divides and Why Do They Matter?
- 15 How Do Science and Technology Impact International Development, and How Might They Lead to a More Sustainable Global Community?
- 16 Will AI Be Conscious?
- 17 Will the AI Robot Economy Be a Golden Age or a Dystopian Era?
- 18 Will AI Create Great Art?
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This chapter explores AI’s potential consciousness, distinguishing it from human consciousness and addressing concerns about unintentionally creating conscious AI. The "Hard Problem of Consciousness" examines challenges in understanding how systems generate consciousness. "Strong AI" and "weak AI" concepts are introduced, envisioning AI replicating human functions, including consciousness. The chapter explores artificial consciousness’s significance in human–AI interactions, attachment, and ethical considerations, addressing potential risks and implications. Later sections cover consciousness aspects such as self-awareness, subjectivity, memory, anticipation, learning, perception, time awareness, cognition, reflection, intentionality, emotion, empathy, dreaming, and imagination. It navigates the intersection of AI, consciousness, and ethical and legal implications, discussing challenges and testing approaches like the Turing test, the Argonov test, the ConsScale test, the emotional response test, the ethical decision-making test, the mirror test, the global workspace test, and the know thyself test. The chapter suggests that AI consciousness may not be binary but could exist in varying degrees.
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- Chapter
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- Understanding Technology and SocietySeminal Questions and Enduring Insights, pp. 191 - 210Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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