The Societal Response to Potentially Sentient AI

TL;DR

This paper explores societal perceptions and responses to the development of highly human-like, potentially sentient AI, emphasizing the importance of understanding public attitudes and the challenges of societal acceptance and ethical considerations.

Contribution

It highlights the need for social science research to anticipate societal reactions and address ethical issues related to potentially sentient AI.

Findings

Public skepticism about AI sentience remains high.

Advancing AI may foster emotional bonds influencing perceptions.

Society may face conflicts over AI moral status.

Abstract

We may soon develop highly human-like AIs that appear-or perhaps even are-sentient, capable of subjective experiences such as happiness and suffering. Regardless of whether AI can achieve true sentience, it is crucial to anticipate and understand how the public and key decision-makers will respond, as their perceptions will shape the future of both humanity and AI. Currently, public skepticism about AI sentience remains high. However, as AI systems advance and become increasingly skilled at human-like interactions, public attitudes may shift. Future AI systems designed to fulfill social needs could foster deep emotional connections with users, potentially influencing perceptions of their sentience and moral status. A key question is whether public beliefs about AI sentience will diverge from expert opinions, given the potential mismatch between an AI's internal mechanisms and its outward behavior. Given the profound difficulty of determining AI sentience, society might face a period of uncertainty, disagreement, and even conflict over questions of AI sentience and rights. To navigate these challenges responsibly, further social science research is essential to explore how society will perceive and engage with potentially sentient AI.