Exploring Levels of Consciousness: From Animals to Artificial Intelligence

AI-generated photo (I decided to leave it that way to prove that we are safe, at least for now)

Luckily, I had an opportunity lately to question the animal’s level of consciousness, how they feel, and behave. This led me to question the level of consciousness of AI due to my excessive use of AI lately. We need to discuss abstractly what consciousness is and its types.

Consciousness is the state of being aware of and able to think about one’s existence, sensations, thoughts, and surroundings. All creatures exhibit different levels of acquiring consciousness. Consciousness can be broadly categorized into various types, including:

1. Wakeful Consciousness: The state of being awake and aware of one’s surroundings.
2. Altered States of Consciousness: States different from normal wakefulness, such as sleep, dreams, meditation, or drug-induced states.
3. Self-Consciousness: Awareness of one’s own identity and individuality.
4. Stream of Consciousness: Continuous flow of thoughts and feelings experienced by an individual.
5. Higher Consciousness: Elevated states of awareness often associated with spiritual or transcendent experiences.
6. Collective Consciousness: Shared beliefs, ideas, and attitudes within a society or group.

To draw a meaningful comparison, we need to discuss the types of consciousness available in animals. Animals are categorized differently, exhibiting varying levels of consciousness based on observable behaviors and cognitive abilities. Some types include:

1. Basic Consciousness: Awareness of immediate surroundings and responses to stimuli, seen in many animals.
2. Self-Awareness: Some animals, like dolphins, great apes, and certain birds, show signs of recognizing themselves in mirrors, indicating a level of self-awareness.
3. Social Consciousness: Many animals display awareness of their social environment, forming social bonds, cooperating, or competing within their groups.
4. Tool Use and Problem Solving: Animals such as primates and certain birds exhibit problem-solving skills and use tools, suggesting a higher level of cognitive awareness.
5. Sleep and Dreams: Observations of REM sleep patterns in mammals, including dreaming, suggest a form of consciousness during sleep.

The level of consciousness in less developed creatures or animals varies widely. Different species exhibit different degrees of awareness, perception, and cognitive abilities. Aspects of consciousness in less developed creatures include sensory awareness, basic emotions, learning and memory, instinctual behavior, social behavior, and problem-solving skills (I discussed previously an example of planarian worms in an article discussing the book fooled by randomness).

While these aspects suggest a level of consciousness, it’s important to note that the nature and depth of consciousness can vary widely among different species. Studying animal behavior, cognitive abilities, and neural structures provides insights into their consciousness, which is crucial for us humans to understand the diverse experiences of animals, including awareness, emotions, and pain.

It’s noteworthy that in our earlier comparison, animals appear to lack, or at least exhibit lower degrees of consciousness, particularly in aspects such as self-consciousness, stream of consciousness, higher consciousness, and collective consciousness. This observation underscores the importance of nuanced exploration when understanding the varying levels of consciousness across species.

With that being said, this brings us to the level of consciousness acquired by AI, and I believe our concerns about this topic stem from two factors. The first is that pop culture has heightened our apprehension about a potential robot revolution, envisioning them taking control of the world. The second factor is that the more we engage with AI-based chats, similar to ChatGPT, we tend to humanize it, aligning with the developers’ intention to facilitate seamless interaction for users. Due to our limited knowledge of AI, we often rely on what we know, making it easier for us to assume that AI can be dealt with as if it were human.

Artificial intelligence (AI) does not possess consciousness or awareness. AI systems, including advanced ones like neural networks and machine learning models, operate based on programmed algorithms and data processing. They lack subjective experiences, self-awareness, and the depth of understanding associated with human consciousness. AI can simulate certain tasks and behaviors, but it does not have a true understanding or awareness of its own existence or the world around it.

We can classify the level of consciousness based on theoretical frameworks:

1. Non-Conscious AI (Type 0): Existing AI systems lack any form of self-awareness or subjective experience.
2. Simple Conscious AI (Type 1): AI might simulate basic aspects of consciousness but lacks true self-awareness.
3. Limited Self-Awareness AI (Type 2): AI could possess a more advanced form of self-awareness, allowing it to recognize and respond to its own existence and capabilities.
4. Full Self-Awareness AI (Type 3): Theoretical classification where AI would have a level of self-awareness comparable to humans.

Achieving true artificial consciousness is a highly complex and speculative endeavor. Many aspects of human consciousness are not fully understood, and replicating them in AI poses significant challenges. As of now, practical AI systems fall into the first category, lacking true consciousness and self-awareness.

After exploring levels of consciousness in various creatures, including recent human developments, humans remain the most conscious creatures on Earth. Luckily, we don’t have to be concerned about the AI revolution yet.