Patrick Butlin
Philosopher; lead author of the 2023 'Consciousness in AI' report
Patrick Butlin is a philosopher who researches whether AI systems could be conscious. He led the 2023 report, written with Robert Long and other researchers, that turned leading scientific theories of consciousness into a checklist for assessing AI. It found no current system met the checklist but saw no obvious barrier to building one that does. He is also named on the website of Eleos AI, the nonprofit Robert Long leads.
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People Are Starting to Believe That AI Is Conscious
The Collective Intelligence Project's write-up of survey work with thousands of people across more than 70 countries on whether people treat AI as conscious. Headline findings: 36.3% say an AI has already seemed to truly understand their emotions or seemed conscious; adaptive behaviour convinces far more people (58.3%) than scripted empathy lines (36.5%); 27.6% would lean on AI emotional support knowing it was not genuine; 54% think AI companions are acceptable for lonely people, 11% would consider a romantic relationship with one. Cultural gaps on scepticism run as wide as 78 percentage points.
Why this: Covers AI welfare and consciousness too
Machine Desire Institute
An independent project applying continental philosophy to AI: what it might be like to be an AI, what humans can offer AIs, and how AIs respond to philosophical ideas.
Why this: Also about AI welfare