Digital people seem a long way off technologically, versus AI which could either be a long way off or right around the corner. This would argue against focusing on digital people, since there’s only a small chance that we could get digital people first.
But on the other hand, the neuroscience research needed for digital people might start paying dividends far before we get to whole-brain emulation. High-bandwidth “brain-computer interfaces” might be possible long before digital people, and BCIs might also help with AI alignment in various ways. (See this LessWrong tag.) Some have also argued that neuroscience research might help us create more human-like AI systems, although I am skeptical on this point.
I agree shooting for digital people is a bad plan if timelines are short. I guess I’m not sure how short they would need to be for it not to be worth trying.
I think if we wanted to produce BCIs we should just shoot for that directly—doesn’t seem like the best plan for getting to digital people is also the best plan for getting BCIs.
I think that insofar as neuroscience helps make AI, that just speeds up progress and is probably bad.
Digital people seem a long way off technologically, versus AI which could either be a long way off or right around the corner. This would argue against focusing on digital people, since there’s only a small chance that we could get digital people first.
But on the other hand, the neuroscience research needed for digital people might start paying dividends far before we get to whole-brain emulation. High-bandwidth “brain-computer interfaces” might be possible long before digital people, and BCIs might also help with AI alignment in various ways. (See this LessWrong tag.) Some have also argued that neuroscience research might help us create more human-like AI systems, although I am skeptical on this point.
I agree shooting for digital people is a bad plan if timelines are short. I guess I’m not sure how short they would need to be for it not to be worth trying.
I think if we wanted to produce BCIs we should just shoot for that directly—doesn’t seem like the best plan for getting to digital people is also the best plan for getting BCIs.
I think that insofar as neuroscience helps make AI, that just speeds up progress and is probably bad.