Simulacra as Conscious Exotica

TL;DR

This paper explores whether AI language models can be considered conscious by analyzing their role as simulacra of human behavior through Wittgenstein's philosophical lens, challenging dualistic perspectives.

Contribution

It offers a philosophical analysis of AI consciousness using Wittgenstein's ideas, avoiding dualism and framing AI as simulacra rather than conscious entities.

Findings

AI language models are viewed as role-playing simulacra.

Wittgenstein's philosophy provides a framework to interpret AI behavior.

The paper questions the applicability of consciousness concepts to AI.

Abstract

The advent of conversational agents with increasingly human-like behaviour throws old philosophical questions into new light. Does it, or could it, ever make sense to speak of AI agents built out of generative language models in terms of consciousness, given that they are "mere" simulacra of human behaviour, and that what they do can be seen as "merely" role play? Drawing on the later writings of Wittgenstein, this paper attempts to tackle this question while avoiding the pitfalls of dualistic thinking.