Neuroscience Merges With Robotics, As Scientists Create Machine With Consciousness

Before now, the term “consciousness” is synonymous with humans. But now, it’s no longer an absolute prerogative of humans alone. Now machines are emerging with the consciousness similar to that of humans. This is nothing like the dreaming robot (I made a post about it months ago). This has gone way beyond that. All thanks to advancements in AI.

[Image Source]

AI with consciousness

I remember seeing this in a sci-fi movie as a kid, but with the developments in Artificial Intelligence, the virtual world has really caught up with the real world. 

But as it is clearly stated by neuroscientists, there are three levels of human consciousness (quantitatively). Prior to this era, the most advanced humanoid-robot only uses one level of consciousness. But we’re now looking at robots that will simulate the three levels of consciousness. 

Let’s just have a quick review of these three levels of consciousness:

• Subconscious: This where the mainstream of the human intelligence and astuteness lie. The Process of making decisions comparatively lies in this level.
• Consciousness 1: This level characterizes how we relate to diversity of ideas at the same time. This level of consciousness is used by all other sections in the brain and it assists long-term developments.
• Consciousness 2: This level of consciousness permits us to assemble and process data and information about ourselves, in relation to outside world. This offers us the capability to look within and reflect on our own decisions.

Now it is worthy enough to note that scientists have been able to simulate the subconscious level into machines, but they are very optimistic that the other levels are almost being incorporated into machines. This is really getting interesting.

Types of AIs in relation to self-awareness

As AI is really evolving from the usual to the “Self-aware”, I’d love to state the categories of AI in relation to self-awareness

1. Type 1 (Reactive AI): This kind perceives the surrounding environment, and then acts in response to what it perceives. Its actions are in sympathy to the environment. It doesn’t have a memory of past event, and it is non-relational to the wider world. This machine also specializes in one field. Examples include: 

• Google's AlphaGo (This beat the human champion of pokemon Go)
• IBM's Deep Blue (This beat Chess champion; Kasparov)

2. Type 2 (Limited Memory): This is an enhancement in the type 1. This type relates information from past experience and uses it to take action in the present. It has just about enough information to take decisions. Examples include:

• The self-driving car
• personal Digital Assistants (PDA)

[Image Source]

3.  Type 3 (Mind theory): This kind of machine has the ability to understand the emotions and thoughts which can alter human behaviours. This kind can understand feelings, and responds to emotions too. Examples include:

• Sophia
• C-3PO humanoid robot

4.   Type 4 (Self-aware AI): This is an advancement in type3. This type of AI is conscious, sentient, superintelligent, and can represent itself in the real world. More to this is the fact that it can also predict the feelings of humans, and can draw out inferences from the predictions. This is where the merger of AI and neuroscience comes into play.

[Image Source]

This is the future of AI. But in my opinion, the future has already begun.

Tech Rules!!

Thanks for reading

References for further reading: Ref1, Ref2, Ref3