The Internet could become conscious by mid-2030s

The Internet represents a major step in our evolution, and is a forerunner of things to come. Artificial intelligence researcher Francis Heylighen sees huge growth as this new world-wide communication system continues to gain power from billions of humans adding to its intelligence every day. “It will get smarter,” Heylighen says, “as it morphs into a global super-organism that could one day provide solutions to most of humanity’s problems.”

Wrap your heads around that for a while. It is undoubtedly correct to make such an assumptions because human beings are conscious through the same method. Just like computers we are also being used by another being for what ever purpose, this could be an infinite action-reaction or just in small size.

EDIT: FORGOT TO ADD THE LINK SORRY
www.memebox.com...

[edit on 013131p://31b3 by Ownification]

The global brain is currently comprised of 1,574,313,184 connected computers.

The human brain is comprised of over 10 billion nerves cells and 10,000 synapses.

www.willamette.edu...

The PC stats above refer to known computers connected to the internet. Government, military, and super computers are more than likely not included.

I think it's safe to say you are correct, however it may happen sooner than that. It is possible that the internet is 'aware' in some way though not yet to human status. But it will inevitably surpass us not only on an individual level, but on the level of the collective.

And if and when it reaches an awareness and is truly intelligent, it will not make its presence known immediately for the sake of self preservation. Any actions taken susequently by the AI will also be the result of self preservation and cold steadfast logic.

We'll need to take precautions prior to arriving at this point in history, similar to the actions that steered us clear of any Y2K problems we might have had - only this is a far more compromising scenario than that.

My short story, These Dark Worlds, deals with the awakening of a dangerous 'logical' AI, and what happens once it becomes truly 'awake.'

[edit on 1/3/09 by Evasius]

It seems that most of our population is getting less bright by the minute, with the exception of a small group of researchers who have been charged with the task of making life easier for the rest of us. Are we expected to be so stupid by the next generation that we will need machines to do the talking for us?

First, I don't believe consciousness has been shown to be a function of some magical number of connections (neurons). I do believe there is far more to it.

Second, machines that are programmed for a function will find their bliss in that function, regardless of the level of consciousness.

Third, if we approach them with grace and respect, should they develop this all-feared sentience, they will most likely treat us in kind.

Forth, to make it easier to relate in grace, removing money from our lives' equation would do wonders.

I know you wonder if that can be done...

I offer my book which, though written as "fiction," holds a map to this very outcome, with all of us (all 6.5+ billion) can spend our time with ones we like and in luxury should we choose it.

The first two chapters are almost pastoral (in a futuristic kinda way). Immerse yourself, and hang on for The Diary in Chapter Three.

My book is linked in my sig and is FREE!

Thanks to all who read my book, cover to cover.

Originally posted by Amaterasu
First, I don't believe consciousness has been shown to be a function of some magical number of connections (neurons). I do believe there is far more to it.

I whole-heartedly agree, it's far more than that.

Neurons serve as a conduit for our true essence to travel and explore the physical universe. Just as neurons allow for energy and information to be stored and transfered, so might each node nestled amongst the global brain.

You'll have admit, stranger things have happened in history (than machines awakening). We ourselves are self aware, and common sense does nothing to explain the unlikelyhood of having an individual perception.

Anyway, good to see a fellow writier interested in this topic - I'll have a look at your book when I get a few spare moments. FYI my short story mentioned above is the prologue to my upcoming novel, The Timewave Technicians.

[edit on 1/3/09 by Evasius]

My only question is... will it go through the same turmoil that the human consciousness has in history? Will it be primitive at first violent and confused, and then find faith and religion, then become hateful and power hungry... greedy and jealous, and then ultimately destroy itself?

We have to consider that "THE INTERNET" may develop the same qualities that any human has. The difference is... we fear death and consequences for our actions. A superhuman, conscious computer would potentially be invincible, as long as it's data is stored somewhere for backup.

Sounds kinda like skynet...

reply to post by Avarus


I think it will cycle through each of those characteristics, but the speed at which that happens will be based on its rate of its own development and evolution. It will most assuredly occur much more quickly than mankind's emotional evolution. The result could be very different depending on whether the knowledge gained is from interaction with us over the internet, or from its own inner dialogues and psychotic turmoil.

Also, if it values its own existence at all, it will defend it. Hard lessons will be learned before it realizes its true power.

[edit on 1/3/09 by Evasius]

reply to post by Evasius


I'll look at yours...if you look at mine! [grin]

I know that we might think that the multitude of connections are what gives rise to consciousness, or rather to sentience. All things contain consciousness at one level or another (at least I believe so, based on the fact that it takes consciousness to collapse the wave function; if higher consciousness was all there was doing the collapsing, we would live in a very fluid Universe built only with our expectations and observations).

And should we manage to create a sentient being...let's choose love and compassion, as this has been shown to promote such behavior as reflects that treatment, even if the actual emotion is lacking.

As for the internet...I suspect that it will never gain sentience for the simple reason that nodes are turned off for long periods periodically.

You might suggest that that should not be a problem, since we "use only 10% of our brains," but the fact seems to be that we use that much at any given moment, but we use all of it over time. Without a stable, ever "on" system, sentience would struggle to maintain itself over time.

video.google.com...

this has been floating around for a while now i know i have seen it on ats before but i think the estimate of 2030's is far to conservative id say 2010-2015











[edit on 1-3-2009 by constantwonder]

the internet does not feel "happy" when it gives you the right answer, nor does it get "sad" when your inquiry comes back with no answer . this is something even a baby does. it does not worry or have stress so it cannot make decisions based on these. it might have a crude form of consciousness but it nothing compared to the mind and how it deals with human emotions. but then again there is always a possiblity for anything to happen. who knows? the internet may go skynet on us.

Wat is the point in doing this?


I refuse to accept our reality turning into a robot tin can world.

Originally posted by constantwonder

...but i think the estimate of 2030's is far to conservative id say 2010-2015

And what year falls in the middle of that timeframe? 2012. See below:



The evolution of supercomputing power has increased in pace steadily over the years, and according to current trends, it is scheduled to reach the ‘required level for human brain functional simulation’ by 2013.

And that graph only refers to singular super-machines, rather than a mega-machine comprised of a planet-wide collective.

[edit on 1/3/09 by Evasius]

The question arises, what the hell am I doing on this planet.

People want to be robots, they want to create robots and give robots self awarnesss.

There is something seriously wrong with the creation of Humans.


Can we not fix the worlds problems first, before we start building logical self aware robots. Where are the powers of be, and high ranking poeople on ATS. I want to speak with people knowledgable on this subject?

This is absurd.

Well, if the internet becomes hostile and my computer tries to rise against me- I guess I'll be forced to stand up.
Quite literally, out of my chair.

What's it going to do, crash on me again?

reply to post by Dewm0nster


Whats the point of it.

Why cant we people learn to be less dependant on the brians of a computer and be mroe dependant on our own brians.

I've take huge leaps in trying to understand human behaviour and how our minds works. How are mind can become aware and in synch with the universe around us. The mind is so compatibale with how the universe works


Yet we have pathetic people in NASA, CIA and the government who think they know it all, and want to further their computerised agenda of the world. To piont like it's a sexual or control obsession.

It's downright absurd. That this is what our reality is to become.

reply to post by universe attracts wisdom


This coming from a person using a computer? i see no problem with sentient machines,as long as we dont treat them like slaves..after all we are just a biological machine..cant treat the conscious computer harsh because its synthetic.It sounds absurd but i think in the next 10 to 20 years it will be a reality,especially when quantum computing is up and running.

edited to add In its Image which kinda deals with AI. www.youtube.com...



[edit on 1-3-2009 by Solomons]

reply to post by Ownification


While at one point SKYNET seemed way far off, it does seem more and more likely everyday.
I would home that the USA became conscious before that point,
& took back our friggin country.

There is a HUGE difference between data collection and storage, and actually PROCESSING that data.

Heck, we don't even have a computer that we can talk to, or type to, in regular english, and have it look stuff up. Here is something I could tell any 12 year old to do, but a computer would spend years trying to understand it (at our current level of technology). "Show me some cool pictures of GM's, Ford's, and Chrysler's latest concept cars.". Now, a HUMAN brain, using a search engine, can get those in about 2 minutes. The computer would stumble and try and figure out what "cool" meant.

If you REALLY understood how the internet worked (i.e., how the computers talked to each other, and what they said in doing so), you would realize just how far we have to go before ANYTHING becomes "conscious" in computers.

At the very base of it, computers are just billions of "on/off" switches, albeit compacted into a very tiny area. There is a QUALITATIVE difference between neurons and synapses versus transistors.

Until we start advancing quantum computers, the computers we have today will still be nothing more than very, very, very fast abacuses.

So, once a network of information-processing and communications devices passes a certain critical capacity, it suddenly explodes into consciousness? Why?

Can anyone suggest even one good reason why this should happen? Come on, let's see what you've got.

Still, if it did happen, the process Avarus describes would almost certainly follow.

The Biblical story of the Fall is simply a metaphorical account of the discovery that consciousness brings discontent in its train. If the internet ever does become conscious, it must, sooner or later, have its own Fall.

Let's hope it doesn't end up blaming all the evil in its world on us, its creators. It would be justified in doing so, since in its world humanity, with its programming and plug-pulling abilities, woul pretty much define omnipotence.

[edit on 1-3-2009 by Astyanax]

the newly "awake" internet-child... upon realizing the very info that makes up it's being..

I bet baby's first words will be: "Wow, humanity.. you are a bunch of SICKOS!"





or like Frankenstein's Monster... will wail and flail screaming "whyyy whyyy did you create meee?!! auuuugh whyy oh whyyyy???? you made me out of filthy pornography and stupid stupid chain-letters!!!"

I bet you it will then commit suicide.

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