Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness Goutam Paul goutam@cs.albany.edu Computer Science Department SUNY, Albany HumaniTech Conference, April 24, 2004

Organization of the talk Introduction What is AI? Past, Present and Future of AI Limitations of AI Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness: Machine vs Human Conclusion HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Introduction Can human beings create machines who can think & act like Humans ? HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA What is AI? Multidisciplinary field: Computer Science Mathematics Logic and Philosophy Probability Theory and Statistics Control Systems Information Theory Psychology Neurobiology HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA What is AI? (contd…) Four Approaches: two dichotomies Thought versus Behavior Human-like versus Ideal (Rational) Systems that Human Ideal Thought think like humans think rationally Behavior act like humans act rationally HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA What is AI? (contd…) Acting humanly: Turing Test Approach How is the weather today? HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA What is AI? (contd…) Thinking humanly: Cognitive Modeling Approach Brings together (a) Computer Models from AI (b) Experimental Techniques from Psychology Constructs testable theories of the workings of human mind HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA What is AI? (contd…) Thinking Rationally: Laws of Thought Approach Initiated by Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) Logical Reasoning and Deductions Example: Socrates is a Man All men are mortal Therefore, Socrates is Mortal HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA What is AI? (contd…) Acting Rationally: Rational Agent Approach Agent: something that perceives and acts Examples: (b) Soccer playing agent (c) Agent Smith in the movie “Matrix” HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Looking back … Socrates (469-399 B.C.) An algorithm to distinguish between good and bad Plato (427-347 B.C.) Laws governing the rational part of the mind Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) Foundation of Logic HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA More History George Boole (1815-1864) Symbolic Logic Rene’ Descartes (1596-1650) Problem with purely “mechanical” mind: No free-will Kenneth Craik (1914-1945) Cognitive Psychology HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Recent History Alan Turing (1912-1954) Rigorous mathematical characterizations of how a computer program works Von Neumann (1903-1957) Decision Theory: to distinguish between good and bad actions (Socrates’ dream) McCulloch and Pitts (1943) Neural Network HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Present Learn to recognize spoken words Predict recovery rates of patients Detect fraudulent use of credit cards Drive autonomous vehicles on public highways Play games at levels approaching the performance of human world champions HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

More AI Systems of Today Classify celestial objects in NASA’s Sky Survey Forensic analysis Medical diagnosis Weather prediction Trading agent in stock markets HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Future of AI Robots as domestic servants Robots serving customers in shopping centers and restaurants Soccer team with both human and machines Turning on / off T.V. from your bed just by thinking HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Limitations of AI Kurt Gödel (1906-1978)’ Incompleteness Theorems (1931) Rigorous in Math Intuitively very simple HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Limitations of AI (contd…) Any Scientific Theory is based on some assumptions called Axioms Examples of Axioms Geometry: point Physics: matter, space, time Mathematics and Computer Science: numbers like 1,2,3,… HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Limitations of AI (contd…) Gödel’s 1st Incompleteness Theorem Given any axiom system, there will always be some true statement, which the system will not be able to prove. Implications if human mind is a mechanical system, then there will always be some truth about our mind which we will not be able to know If we cannot know our own mind or intelligence completely, then how can we create a being with mind or intelligence? HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Limitations of AI (contd…) Consistency Either true or false but not both Examples “It is raining” → consistent “It is not raining” → consistent “It is both raining and not raining” → inconsistent HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Limitations of AI (contd…) Gödel’s 2nd Incompleteness Theorem If an axiom system is consistent, then it cannot verify its own consistency Implications if we design a robot, it cannot verify its own consistency We can verify our own consistency Hence, our mind is not purely mechanical – it has some “spirit” part into it (as stated by Descartes) HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness Body – sense organs Mind – repository of thoughts and feelings Intelligence – logic, rationality, power of discrimination Consciousness – symptom of life being aware of ones own existence HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness (contd…) Mind > Body Example: Pain in body versus pain in mind HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness (contd…) Intelligence > Mind Examples: (a) Bitter medicine (b) Decision by emotions versus rational decision HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness (contd…) Consciousness > Intelligence Examples: (a) Patient in a coma (b) Trees HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Superiority of Consciousness Intelligence Mind Body HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Superiority of Consciousness (Contd …) Examples of different levels of satisfaction: Eating Food – Body Seeing beautiful scenery, Listening to music – Mind Solving Math, Composing Music – Intelligence Service to others, love, sacrifice - Consciousness HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Superiority of Consciousness (Contd …) Decisions taken by Intelligence may not always be right In Logic, a perfect argument may lead to a wrong conclusion, if the initial axioms are wrong Example: Political decisions HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Superiority of Consciousness (Contd …) When will intelligence take correct decisions? – When the axioms are correct When will the axioms be correct? – Axioms cannot be proved! They are assumed to be self-evident truth. Where do the axioms come from? – Consciousness HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Machine Intelligence and Consciousness The primary tool AI has is Logic Intelligence may partly be analyzed using Logic Consciousness cannot be understood by Logic, because: consciousness is the very source of Logic Artificial Consciousness is impossible HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Machine vs Human Body: Hardware HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Machine vs Human Intelligence: Software using Logic HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Machine vs Human Mind: ??? Consciousness: ?????????... HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Conclusion Original goal of AI: To create thinking machines Byproduct: Other systems Advantage: Significant applications to many real life problems HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA Questions? HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004 Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA