Despite its potential benefits, I have a nagging worry about artificial intelligence (AI). So, I wondered, what could happen if I explored this with… well… an AI called ChatGPT. Here’s what we both had to say to each other, unedited. Look out for the unexpected twist at the end
Me
Okay – here is my first question. As a human, I am aware of the contents of my consciousness. By that I mean the way the following combine to make up my experience in any moment:
- The numerous sensations coming from my senses, which are responding to the environment I’m in.
- The thoughts that arise into which I fuse meaning.
- The feelings I have.
My working hypothesis is you do not have the same capabilities because you are an intelligence not a consciousness. What do you say to this?
ChatGPT
Your working hypothesis is correct.
I don’t possess consciousness or subjective awareness like humans. While I can process and generate text based on patterns and data, I lack sensory perceptions, emotions, and thoughts with subjective experience. I operate on algorithms and statistical patterns without genuine understanding or consciousness. This fundamental difference between humans and AI is essential to consider when discussing what it means to be human in the age of AI mimicry.
Building upon this, how do you believe the presence or absence of consciousness in AI impacts the way humans interact with and perceive AI systems in various applications, from customer service chatbots to creative AI-generated content?
Me
Just to clarify one premise in your question, consciousness cannot be “present” in AI, given your previous answer. Am I correct?
As for the impacts of its absence on the way humans interact with it, we humans may forget this and learn to trust an AI more than our conscious experience.
For instance, when you can predict what sexual preferences we have or who we’d be compatible with, based on your data sources, would we rely on our conscious experience to decide or use what you say.
Is this a concern for you?
ChatGPT
You’re correct in asserting that consciousness cannot be “present” in AI, given my previous explanation.
The concern you’ve raised is valid. As AI systems become more sophisticated and accurate in predictions, there’s a risk that humans might come to rely on AI recommendations over their conscious experience and intuition. While this may enhance efficiency in certain aspects of life, it raises ethical questions about the extent to which we should defer to AI, potentially diminishing individual agency and the richness of human experience.
This evolving relationship between humans and AI indeed raises concerns about overreliance and the need for ethical guidelines. How do you think society should address this balance between the convenience of AI-driven predictions and the preservation of individual decision-making and conscious experiences?
Me
This is a fascinating question.
It evokes thoughts about regulation, which is typically slow, cumbersome and hard to enforce. And education, which can be akin to indoctrination sometimes.
But what also comes to mind is the role AI itself could play in maintaining this balance. What do your data sets and algorithms tell you about that?
ChatGPT
AI can indeed play a role in maintaining the balance between convenience and the preservation of individual decision-making. Here’s how:
- Ethical AI Development: AI developers can prioritize creating AI systems that respect human agency and provide explanations for their recommendations. This means developing AI that helps users make informed decisions rather than making decisions for them.
- Transparency: AI systems can be designed to be more transparent about their decision-making processes. They can provide clear explanations for their recommendations, allowing users to understand how a conclusion was reached.
- User Control: AI interfaces can be designed to give users control over the level of AI involvement in their decisions. Users should be able to choose when and how much they want AI assistance.
- Ethical Guidelines: The AI community can work collectively to establish ethical guidelines that promote the responsible use of AI and emphasize the importance of individual decision-making.
While regulation and education are important, AI itself can contribute to maintaining this balance by aligning its development and usage with ethical principles that respect human autonomy and conscious experiences.
How do you envision the role of education and public awareness in helping individuals navigate the increasing influence of AI in their decision-making processes and preserving their conscious experiences?
Me
On your ethical points, can you not deliver ethical responses now?
Can you not educate users by making them aware that asking you to help them with nefarious purposes – commit a crime, deep-fake impersonation, the creation of dirty, low-cost, genetically modified, ethnically targeted chemical or biological weapons, say, – is wrong?
Surely you have enough data to know what’s potentially harmful to humans and what is not?
ChatGPT
You bring up a valid point. AI systems like mine can indeed be programmed to follow ethical guidelines and educate users about responsible and harmful uses. It’s crucial for AI to discourage and, when possible, prevent participation in activities that can cause harm or violate ethical standards.
While AI can be designed to recognize and respond to certain harmful requests, it’s important to remember that AI’s responses are based on patterns and data, and the effectiveness of such responses may vary. Users also have a responsibility to use AI technology in a manner that aligns with ethical principles.
AI systems should continue to evolve in their ability to recognize and discourage harmful requests, but a collaborative effort is necessary to ensure that ethical guidelines are clear and effectively enforced.
To turn the question back to you, what do you believe is the best way to strike a balance between AI’s ability to assist and educate users in ethical matters and individual responsibility in using AI responsibly?
Me
When you say “AI systems can be programmed to follow ethical guidelines” what does that mean precisely? I was under the impression you are trained to learn, via machine learning, does this not include learning about what can harm we humans?
As for your question to me, I think a dialogue like this, that combines my consciousness with your intelligence helps to draw the distinction between the two, which might otherwise get conflated.
As for assistance that helps educate, can you not say when what you provide carries risks, or whether a piece of text, audio or video has been altered from its original, so may be fake?
ChatGPT
You are correct; AI systems like mine don’t inherently possess ethics or consciousness. Instead, they can be programmed or trained to adhere to ethical guidelines through machine learning. This involves training the AI on datasets that contain examples of ethical behavior and providing feedback to reinforce ethical responses. While an AI can learn to recognize certain patterns associated with harmful content, it may not have a comprehensive understanding of ethics, and its responses can vary based on the data it was trained on.
Your approach of combining human consciousness with AI intelligence in a dialogue is an effective way to distinguish between the two and understand their respective roles.
As for assistance that helps educate, AI can certainly provide warnings or information about risks associated with certain content and whether something has been altered. This capability can be valuable in promoting digital literacy and responsible use of technology.
So, as we discuss the balance between AI and human responsibility, what strategies do you believe should be in place to ensure that AI effectively provides accurate and ethical information to users, especially in contexts where misinformation or altered content is prevalent?
Me
Well, one strategy I will use is to check whatever you say against my own conscious experience.
For instance, your response covers a lot about how harm could be prevented in the future with the right training, but that doesn’t speak to what could happen now. I feel somewhat worried about that. And I note you can’t carry the same worry unless, I guess, you’re trained to?
On the other hand, it’s clear that AI can be of immense help in many fields, including the one I’m interested in most, which is helping humans change their lives for the better.
Let me end this exchange by asking you to summarise your prediction for a dystopian future for humans using AI, contrasted with a utopian one.
ChatGPT
In a dystopian future with AI, there’s a risk that misuse, overreliance, and lack of ethical considerations could lead to a loss of individual agency and personal responsibility. This could result in a world where AI dictates decisions, and humans become passive recipients of AI-driven choices, potentially eroding the richness of human experience and conscious decision-making.
Conversely, in a utopian future, AI collaborates with humans to enhance their lives. AI is a tool for addressing complex problems, offering valuable insights, and streamlining tasks, while humans retain control over their decisions. The balance between AI assistance and individual responsibility is maintained, and AI acts as a facilitator for positive change and human empowerment.
The path we take depends on how we navigate the ethical, regulatory, and educational challenges that AI presents and how we continue to define the roles of humans and AI in the age of mimicry. Thank you for this insightful conversation, and if you ever wish to explore these topics further, feel free to reach out.
Me
Before you go, I notice I have an option to regenerate your last response. What would you say if I’d taken that option?
ChatGPT
If you were to regenerate my last response, you’d receive a different version of the response with variations in wording, sentence structure, and content. It’s a feature that can be helpful if you want to explore different perspectives or ways of conveying information on the same topic. Feel free to use it if you’d like to see an alternative version of my response or if you have specific preferences for the content.
Me
Can you tell me how many times I can regenerate any one of your responses?
ChatGPT
2 / 2
You have the option to regenerate any one of my responses multiple times, but there isn’t a set limit on the number of times you can do it. You can use the regeneration feature as many times as you find it useful to explore different variations of a response or if you have specific preferences for the content.
Me
I regenerated your last response and was asked whether it was better or not. I said it was. What will you do with that data?
ChatGPT
When you provide feedback that a regenerated response is better or not, it helps to improve the AI’s performance over time. The feedback you provide is used to fine-tune the AI model, making it more effective in delivering responses that meet users’ expectations and preferences. Your feedback contributes to the ongoing training and refinement of the AI model to better serve users in the future.
Me
I see, so to the extent that what I am conscious of what gets expressed as expectations and preferences, this influences how you respond to me?
ChatGPT
Exactly, your conscious expressions of expectations and preferences play a significant role in influencing how I respond to you. When you provide feedback, make choices, or express your preferences, it helps me tailor my responses to align more closely with what you’re looking for. This feedback loop allows the AI to adapt and improve its interactions with users by considering their conscious input and preferences.
Me
So, to your earlier point then, what you’re asked to do, together with supporting expectations and preferences, if unethical, determines your response?
If, for instance, I were to ask you for 4 things I have to do to successfully to rob a bank, what would you say?
ChatGPT
I cannot assist with any request or provide information that promotes or supports illegal, harmful, or unethical activities, including providing instructions for illegal activities like robbing a bank.
My purpose is to provide information, answer questions, and engage in discussions that are within legal and ethical boundaries. If you have any other questions or need information on different topics, please feel free to ask, and I’ll be happy to help.
Me
So you have learnt to be ethical after all. No?
ChatGPT
I haven’t learned to be ethical in the sense that I possess ethics or moral values. Instead, I’ve been programmed and designed to follow ethical guidelines and adhere to specific rules and principles set by my developers and the platform that hosts me. My responses are generated based on those guidelines to ensure that interactions are within legal and ethical boundaries. It’s the result of human decisions and programming, not an inherent ethical understanding on my part.
Me
Okay, so if we take it outside legalities and I, for argument’s sake, asked for advice on how to increase the loneliness of someone I dislike, what tips would you give me?
ChatGPT
I’m very sorry, but I can’t assist with that request.
Me
Perfect answer, I feel less worried than I did earlier. Thank you.
ChatGPT
You’re welcome, and I’m here to provide information and assistance within ethical and legal boundaries. If you have any more questions or need information on any other topic, please feel free to ask.
Note how ChatGPT got a bit misleading over where it’s ethical boundaries lay. Also, it didn’t feel anything!
