Regulating AI consciousness.
Artificial intelligence, Values and reflective process
The probability that AIs will be capable of conscious processing in the incoming decades is not negligible. With the right information dynamics, some artificial cognitive architecture could support conscious experiences. The global neural workspace is an example of a leading theory of consciousness compatible with this view. Furthermore, if it turns out that conscious processing improves learning efficiency then building AI capable of consciousness might become an effective path toward more generally capable AI. Building conscious AIs would have crucial ethical implications given their high expected population. To decrease the chance of bad moral outcomes we could follow two broad strategies. First, we could fund policy projects aiming to work with regulators to ban or slow down research that poses a substantial risk to building conscious AI. Regulations slowing the arrival of conscious AIs could be in place until we gain more moral clarity and a solid understanding of machine consciousness. For example, philosopher Thomas Metzinger advocated a moratorium on synthetic phenomenology in a previously published paper. Second, we need to fund more research in machine consciousness and philosophy of mind improving our understanding of synthetic phenomenology in AIs and their moral status. Note that machine consciousness is currently very neglected as an academic field.
Yes. To reduce that risk we could aim for an international agreement on banning high-risk AI capability research but might not be satisfying. I have the impression that very few people (if any) are working on that flavor of regulations and could be useful to explore it more. Ideally, if we could simply coordinate to not produce direct work on producing generally capable AI until we figure out safety it could be an important win.