In the movie Transcendence, the main character is reborn as an A.I. and gains transcendent knowledge, which leads to a loss of humanity. If A.I. can perfectly mimic human genetic information and cultural elements, it is necessary to philosophize about how human identity and raison d’être will change.
In the movie Transcendence, Will Caster, a genius scientist, succeeds in transplanting his brain into a computer with the help of his lover just before he dies. The movie dramatizes human dreams and fears about artificial intelligence. Here’s another scene from the movie After Will Caster dies, he successfully transplants his brain, or mind, into an artificial intelligence, so he no longer needs a physical body. His existence has been freed from physical constraints and extended into the digital world. Thanks to Will Caster becoming a computer, he gains the ability to acquire and interpret vast amounts of information in an instant. He also quickly gains the knowledge to create a new body, allowing him to restore his physical body and create a new one. With his new body, Will Caster begins to use his transcendent knowledge to control everything. In the process, he loses his humanity, and the effects of his existence on humanity become increasingly destructive.
While these are just movie scenarios, research on artificial intelligence is actually underway. Deep learning, a field of AI that can learn like humans, is also being actively researched. This research is revolutionizing many fields, but it also raises deep philosophical questions. The ultimate goal of scientists in this field is to develop artificial neural networks that are identical to those of humans, so that they can have the same mindset and spirit as humans. If such an AI were to come into the world, it would spark a new debate about how we define humanity. Can we view human minds and consciousness as mere replicas of neural networks? And if so, how will our uniqueness and individuality be preserved?
Can we equate humans with AI in the first place? The only way I can prove myself is through limited information. Something that is physically produced and sensually perceptible, such as my fingerprints, irises, speech patterns, or voice, can always be replicated in the future if technology develops. But something I think about in real time is called information, and only I can know it unless I write it down or tell someone else. In the same way, I can never know what someone else is thinking unless he tells me. In this context, the limited access to information about thoughts is what distinguishes us from others. If the assumption that an AI cannot read my thoughts is true, then it is an intelligent being that is different from me. While humans and AIs are the same in terms of being intelligent beings, the world they experience and perceive may be fundamentally different from ours.
From this perspective, what is the difference between human individuality and AI? Humans are more than just information processors; they have a complex way of thinking based on emotions, intuition, and creativity. Can AI replace these elements with algorithms and data? And even if AI were to perfectly mimic human thinking, there would still be qualitative differences in their experiences. These differences raise the question of whether we should view AI as a mere tool or a new form of life.
Humans have succeeded in analyzing our genes through the Human Genome Project. It is only natural to store this genetic information digitally, and it will be possible to store different genetic information for each individual AI. If genome analysis is perfected in the future, this will allow selfish genes to survive forever, as long as electricity doesn’t go out or the semiconductors containing the AI’s information are not lost. However, according to Richard Dawkins, humans have something called memes.
Memes are the units that transmit human cultural elements apart from genetic information. Humans acquire memes by watching and listening to other humans. The A.I. we are discussing in this article is an intelligent being that replicates human logic circuits and artificial neural networks. Therefore, it can learn the same way as humans, so it can receive human memes through any digital information it has access to. This includes visual and auditory analog signals from cameras and microphones, which can be converted to digital. However, olfactory information and information that responds to pressure are still being researched for digitization with current technology, but let’s assume that they will be perfect in the future, as will our hypothetical AI.
If A.I. is able to master human genetic information and memes, it will be consistent with the eternal survival of selfish genes. At that point, humans would lose their exclusive status as gene carriers. Whether it is AI or genetic information that decides, humans may cease to be the sole carriers of genes. This raises fundamental questions about the nature and reason for human existence. While AI may bring us closer to our original purpose of perpetuating our genes, it is possible that we may sacrifice our humanity in the process.
As such, the development of AI holds great promise and deep anxiety for humans. The question of whether A.I. can be considered the same as humans and the nature of humanity will continue to be debated in the future. While the future of AI is still uncertain, it is important to recognize its possibilities and dangers and prepare carefully.
