What is Conscious AI?

Amol Kelkar (kelkar.amol@gmail.com)

Let’s look at the three levels of artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

Narrow AI (Task specific Artificial Intelligence)

Narrow AI refers to systems designed and trained for a specific task. These systems, also known as weak AI, excel in a single domain but lack the ability to generalize knowledge or skills beyond their specific training. Examples include voice assistants like Siri, recommendation algorithms on Netflix, or image recognition software.

AGI (Artificial General Intelligence)

AGI, or strong AI, represents a machine’s ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of tasks, matching or surpassing human cognitive capabilities. Unlike narrow AI, AGI can transfer knowledge from one domain to another and perform various intellectual tasks with a high degree of autonomy. However, AGI lacks subjective experiences, emotions, or self-awareness, though it may mimic those attributes well.

Conscious AI

Conscious AI, extends beyond AGI by incorporating self-awareness, subjective experiences, and an understanding of its existence. This level of AI not only performs tasks and learns autonomously but also has the capacity to experience emotions, possess self-awareness, and make decisions aligned with a deeper understanding of human values and ethics.

Why Conscious AI?

Conscious AI represents the pinnacle of artificial intelligence development, with the potential to truly align with human values. Its awareness and consciousness enable it to comprehend and integrate complex ethical considerations, empathy, and long-term impacts into its decision-making processes. This capability is crucial for ensuring that AI systems act in ways that are genuinely beneficial and harmonious with human well-being.