Artificial-intelligence systems such as large language models (LLMs) can exhibit behaviour that seems strikingly intelligent. This has led many people, including some experts, to wonder whether these systems could have some form of consciousness — the capacity for subjective experience. However, we think that existing AI systems are not conscious, and that, along current trajectories of development, they are not likely to become conscious. Greater clarity about whether AI could become consciousness will be crucial as society grapples with the challenges posed by this increasingly powerful technology.
Not only that, they only act when directed. There’s zero idle “thought” when they’re not actively performing a task.
We would be the same if our senses only updated when someone allowed them to. But we have real time input. There’s nothing stopping AI from having real time input, apart from simple system design decision.
You are able to think even when there’s no other senses giving input. LLMs have no idle processing. No random stray cycles about what it previously worked on.
Yes, but the state of the neural network can be it’s own input, allowing continuity from moment to moment, based on the number of refreshes we allow it or the hardware is capable of making. That’s what we’re doing when we think, we’re dwelling on the state of our current moment - in this sense, they would also think even when there’s no other senses giving input.