Posted August 16, 2024 | Reviewed by Davia Sills
In the ongoing discussions about artificial intelligence, one of the most provocative questions has been whether large language models might one day achieve consciousness. However, perhaps the more compelling and relevant question is not whether LLMs can be conscious but how these models may shape and transform our own human consciousness.
As LLMs become integrated into our cognitive landscape, they offer an entirely new set of inputs that have the potential to profoundly affect how we think, perceive, and engage with the world. Rather than fundamentally altering the nature of human consciousness, LLMs may serve to augment it, expanding our cognitive capabilities while working within the inherent limitations of our brain's processing power.
The real intrigue lies in understanding how these technologies might enhance the intellectual component of consciousness, enriching the experience of thought itself. This is worth a deeper dive.