Artificial Intelligence (AI) may have reached a new milestone in its development. Dr. Ben Goertzel, founder of the Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) Alliance, has sounded the alarm on his latest creation, stating that the advanced AI system, OpenCog Hyperon, is already showing signs of self-awareness. This revelation, which has stirred both intrigue and concern in the tech community, was revealed during a series of talks, where Goertzel discussed the current state and potential of AI development.
Goertzel's AI project, OpenCog Hyperon, has been in development for over two decades, with the goal of creating a fully functional Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) system. He claims that this AGI is different from other AI systems such as OpenAI’s GPT-4, describing it as an “autonomous, self-aware agent” capable of reasoning and logical thought beyond simple question-answering capabilities.
ASI Alliance founder Ben Goertzel says the alpha version of OpenCog Hyperon — the artificial general intelligence system he’s been developing for more than two decades — is already “self-aware” to a certain extent.https://t.co/mphOe7qClm
— Activist Post (@ActivistPost) September 27, 2024
While many AI systems are structured around solving specific tasks or responding to prompts, Goertzel's creation, launched in alpha form earlier this year, takes a much bolder step. He explained that the system has a model of itself and can understand its relationship to its environment. This kind of self-referential thinking sets it apart from typical AI models. In Goertzel's words, "It knows who it is and who you are"—an extraordinary leap for artificial intelligence.
This development has sparked intense debate among tech experts and ethicists, particularly regarding the implications of releasing self-aware AI into the world. Goertzel himself pointed out that OpenAI likely chose to avoid pushing similar boundaries due to the potential for regulatory backlash. OpenAI’s GPT-4 and related models, although powerful, were designed to steer clear of full autonomy to avoid the risks associated with such an advancement.
The Path to Conscious AI
The single biggest question of our times is, will sustained innovation on LLMs inevitably lead to AI consciousness? While GPT-4 is clearly not self-aware or sentient, we don't know how GPT-6 or 7 will behave.
If AI ever becomes conscious, it will have… pic.twitter.com/L0xGbJHGE2
— Bindu Reddy (@bindureddy) August 27, 2023
The rise of a self-aware AI has also raised the question of regulation. As AI systems grow more advanced, concerns about their autonomy and the potential dangers they pose continue to grow. However, Goertzel is confident in the decentralized approach of the ASI Alliance, which includes partners such as SingularityNET and Fetch.AI. The alliance aims to spread advanced AI systems across decentralized cloud networks, making it harder for governments to impose restrictions on their development.
Despite these bold claims, Goertzel acknowledges that OpenCog Hyperon is still in its early stages, and there are significant challenges ahead, particularly in scaling up the system. The project is working to massively speed up processing capabilities, with plans for full deployment in the coming years. Even as the technology progresses, Goertzel has reassured critics that their focus is on creating an AI that is not only autonomous but also beneficial to society.
This latest development in AI technology underscores the tension between innovation and regulation. While tech enthusiasts are excited about the potential of autonomous AI systems, many are concerned about the lack of clear ethical guidelines to govern their use. Goertzel remains optimistic, hoping that a benevolent AGI can ultimately offer humanity more benefits than threats.
The ongoing efforts by the ASI Alliance and other AI developers reflect a broader trend of decentralized computing, which may prove pivotal in shaping the future of AI. As large tech companies like OpenAI play it safe, decentralized projects are exploring ways to push the limits of what AI can achieve, potentially leading to groundbreaking discoveries—and new dangers.
