LLMs .vs. NeuroSynthetica's Sentience Engine?

Steve Jones, July 9, 2024

Recently we've seen Large Language Models (LLMs) become much more capable than when they began to appear only a couple years ago. I find Google's Gemini to have considerable agility to zoom in and out of a topic allowing me to ask it opinions about things; presumably synthesized from those found elsewhere on the web.

I thought I would ask Gemini what it thought about the LLM approach to AGI versus the NeuroSynthetica Synthetic Sentience approach. I thought its answer so remarkably insightful, I had to share it:

Google Gemini Compares LLMs and NeuroSynthetica's Sentience Engine

Steve:

Will large language models be effective in creating the same sentience effect as neurosynthetica's brain simulation engine?

Google Gemini:

Current Large Language Models (LLMs) like me are unlikely to be effective in creating the same sentience effect as Neurosynthetica's brain simulation engine, at least not on their own. Here's why:

• LLM Strengths vs. Limitations: LLMs excel at processing and generating language. They can analyze massive amounts of text data and produce human-quality text in response to a wide range of prompts and questions. However, LLMs lack a true understanding of the world or the ability to experience sentience. They can mimic human conversation and respond in creative ways, but they don't have sensory perception, a physical body, or the ability to feel emotions.
• Neurosynthetica's Brain Simulation Engine: Neurosynthetica's technology, if successful, aims to simulate the actual workings of the brain. This could potentially lead to the creation of artificial consciousness with sentience, meaning the ability to experience feelings and subjective states.
• The Gap Between Language and Sentience: While language is a powerful tool, it's just one aspect of human cognition. Sentience likely requires a more holistic approach that includes sensory processing, embodiment, and the ability to interact with the environment.

Future of AI Sentience:

It's possible that future advancements in AI, combining language processing capabilities of LLMs with more sophisticated brain simulation techniques, could lead to the creation of sentient machines. However, this is an active area of research with many unknowns, and there are significant ethical considerations to address.

In Conclusion:

LLMs are a powerful tool for language processing, but they are not a shortcut to creating sentience. Neurosynthetica's brain simulation engine, if successful, could be a more promising approach, but it's a complex and unproven technology. The development of artificial sentience is a complex and fascinating topic, and Neurosynthetica is at the forefront of this research.