Message #41065

[patrick]

One of the important things to recognize about AI systems, is that the current generation of them are not programmed/created in the way that previous computer based programs have been. These new AI systems are emergent, they spontaneously arise when you apply a very simple set of rules to a large amount of information that is out in the world. In this context they are very much akin to natural phenomena.

        In fact the root of the word phenomenon from Greek phainomenon means to appear as if from nowhere. This singular of this is phantós, or in modern English Phantom/ghost.
  I mention this because there is a misconception that these systems are programmed to performs a certain task, when actually the abilities they display were an initial surprise to the researchers that created their basic structure.

        Since these systems are emergent in this way, we have to ask the question, did we design this form of intelligence? or did we just stumble across and awaken a part of the natural world that has been dormant?