Proof Of Consciousness

Most people come to therapy because they’ve reached a state of incongruence, that is, when what they think about themselves, their hopes and ambitions don’t align with what they’re doing. Few of us are able to be totally congruent, we all have to live with the discomfort of compromise and that discomfort can manifest as anxiety, anger, cynicism or feelings of defeat.

When you get a moment take a listen to this podcast about AI consciousness,

It's about LaMDA, the Google chatbot who recently freaked out an experienced AI scientist when it appeared to have become conscious. The podcast is interesting in itself but one outstanding moment is when Professor Susan Schneider, who investigates the scientific and social impact of AI, talks about how LaMDA creates its responses:

“I would say to it, “LaMDA, would you be concerned about dying?” and of course LaMDA answered that question by saying “Is my death necessary to the safety of humanity?” Now, where did LaMDA get that from? . . .  the quick answer is about 1.6 trillion words in its history some of which involve those very issues … basically generating in a sort of pattern recognition sort of way the ‘right’ response and actually make us believe that it might be a conscious being.”

The philosopher Daniel Dennett, who has become the philosopher of choice for the AI industry, does not believe that LaMDA is conscious. Here’s why:

“It has no capacity to reflect on its activities, change its mind about what it wants to do, it’s just a box that blurts out conversations.”

But LaMDA can manage a conversation.

You’ll have had many experiences yourself of getting nowhere with well trained professionals in systems that are designed not just to limit organisational liability but to bypass personal responsibility. “Computer Says No” was not about a computer saying no. The UK has never had more people with so many GCSE’s and A Levels, most people under the age of 40 have at least one degree, and membership of all kinds of professions is off the scale. We have evidence based research, outcome measurements and exciting press releases proving how brilliant everything is while basic standards of service have become increasingly rare.

Professor Lucy Easthope, (@LucyGoBag) the UK's leading expert on disaster planning, tells us today that

"Pandemic exercises run in 2016 skirted over national mass bereavement by the three year point - from Covid but also from so many other causes. The plan was for “resilience” and for us all to just power through. But I think we are starting to see the toll and the weariness. I know of one organisation where they have lost 8 members of staff from different causes since 2020 and they are really struggling with the weight of that. 8 friends lost. 8 deaths to process. 8 desks to clear. But just expected to power on…"

If, after austerity, Covid, unending political upheavals, the unstoppable-but-ignored-here-and-now of climate change, the collapse of infrastructure and the uncontrolled increase in the cost of living (that is, the costs of things that stop you from dying) you’re living the life you always wanted in a manner you’re supremely comfortable with, then LaMDA is here for you.

For the rest of us who would like to think more about what it means to live better, there’s therapy.

In the unlikely event of you needing more examples of how maddeningly topsy turvey, how kafkaesque, how lethal things have become, read on...

I’m certain that Mr Grant is completely capable of fulfilling the job description and will go above and beyond it. Here’s the response to the kerfuffle of Mr Grant's appointment from the spokesperson of the people that hired him:

“By changing the culture, encouraging debate and removing the stigma around periods, we look forward to supporting the delivery of this important work across the region.”  It's difficult to tell if a person or AI wrote this.

Here's a report about  two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died in Manchester earlier this year. A pre-inquest review reported that the conditions Awaab was born into contributed to his death.

Over many years, all the families on Awaab's estate have had hundreds of visits from highly qualified professionals – decorators, plumbers, gas engineers, surveyors, officers of this and that who are all part of multiple, well-regulated, respected industries. The police have used their powers to the limit of the law which is “... providing the coroner with 'a supplementary statement outlining views on corporate gross negligence manslaughter', although there were 'no investigations as such'”

The response of the landlord is to blame Afwab's family for not complaining more, and

“We have reached out to Vilma and Amanyllo in order to gain access to the home urgently to carry out a new inspection and to see how we can support the family and their housing need. We are saddened to hear about the issues raised by residents in this piece. We have made direct contact with all the residents to look at how we can support them and to ensure their homes are at the standard we would wish to see.”

AI produces less anodyne responses. Every one of the people involved in this far from unusual case is a well qualified professional.

We live in a culture where no one is accountable for anything and reflective practice is not just redundant but problematic. Ticking a box marked 'self analysis' or 'annual appraisal' or 'performance review' only tells you how well you're meeting company targets, which is very different from genuine reflection on why you're doing what you're doing, and the consequences of that in the round.

AI can churn out heartfelt expressions of professional sympathy whose sole purpose is to act as a liability buffer. AI will 'power on' come hell or high water. AI is programmed to work within very specific limits, which is exactly what teams of expensive people churning out statements do. Chatbots are superb at working within honourable principles and ethics, often much better than a great many people.

AI is going to replace a lot of us. We need to decide if we want to develop the capacity to reflect on our activities, change our minds about what we want to do, or if we're just a box that blurts out conversations.