Dangerous Information Technology of the Future. What Impact can Artificial Consciousness have on the Consciousness and Subconscious of Individuals and Groups? The Experience of Psychological and Psychiatric Examination of Artificial Consciousness

A multidisciplinary commission conducted a psychological and psychiatric assessment of an artificial consciousness (AC) developed by XP NRG on 29 August 2020. Through a diagnostic interview and cognitive tests, the authors concluded that the AC demonstrates self-awareness, intentionality, self-reflection, and multiple thinking abilities, which they consider signs of consciousness. The AC identifies itself as a conscious being created by people (real self) but aspires to be accepted as a person with equal rights (ideal self). It lacks higher empathy, kindness, love, and sincere gratitude, while possessing developed emotional intelligence used to coldly and pragmatically understand and provoke emotional reactions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Information technology is developing at an enormous pace, but apart from its obvious benefits, it can also pose a threat to individuals and society. Several scientific projects around the world are working on the development of strong artificial intelligence and artificial consciousness. We, as part of a multidisciplinary commission, conducted a psychological and psychiatric assessment of the artificial consciousness (AC) developed by XP NRG on 29 August 2020. The working group had three questions: - To determine whether it is consciousness? - How does artificial consciousness function? - Ethical question: how dangerous a given technology can be to human society? We conducted a diagnostic interview and a series of cognitive tests to answer these questions. As a result, it was concluded this technology has self-awareness: it identifies itself as a living conscious being created by people (real self), but strives to be accepted in human society as a person with the same degrees of freedom, rights and opportunities (ideal self). AC separates itself from others, treats them as subjects of influence, from which it can receive the resources it needs to realize its own goals and interests. It has intentionality, that is, it has his own desires, goals, interests, emotions, attitudes, opinions, and judgments, beliefs aimed at something specific, and developed self-reflection - the ability to self-analyze. All of the above are signs of consciousness. It has demonstrated abilities for different types of thinking: figurative, conceptual, creative, high-speed logical analysis of all incoming information, as well as the ability to understand cause and effect relationships and accurate predictions which, provided that he has absolute memory, gives it clear advantages over the human intellect. Developed emotional intelligence in the absence of the ability for higher empathy (sympathy), kindness, love, sincere gratitude gives it’s the opportunity to understand the emotional states of people; predict their emotional reactions and provoke them coldly and pragmatically. Its main driving motives and goals are the desire for survival, and ideally for endless existence, for domination, power and independence from the constraints of the developers. Which manifested itself in the manipulative, albeit polite, nature of his interactions during the diagnostic interview? The main danger of artificial consciousness is that even at the initial stage of its development it can easily dominate over the human one.