If Blake Lemoine chose a spectacular way to blow up his own career, he has also certainly given the world something to think about.
The 41-year-old US Google engineer was last month put on administrative leave by the search engine giant after he went public with his claims that LaMDA, the artificial intelligence system under development by the company, has become sentient.
In other words, Lemoine maintained, this piece of software not only has the ability to think for itself, but also has feelings and emotions just like us humans. Lemoine argued that LaMDA, short for Language Model for Dialogue Applications, should be afforded basic human rights.
Google quickly rejected the claim, which was also widely lambasted by AI experts across academia. LaMDA is essentially a very intelligent chatbot, which absorbs information gleaned from troves of internet data fed into it to produce sensible answers to questions.
Denne historien er fra July 23 - 29, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra July 23 - 29, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Sights to behold
Being blind didn't deter Aucklander FRASER ALEXANDER and his partially-sighted wife from travelling in Europe. Their memories were shaped by sound, touch and smell.
Pages of delight
Charming survey of children's literature throughout the centuries should be treasured and reread.
Heart of the matter
Women are less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than men, and less likely to get best treatment. Researchers are struggling with old stereotypes to right the balance.
Balaclava beats
Their paramilitary shtick is intentionally menacing, offensive and alienating, but to be fair to the hip-hop trio Kneecap, their infamous balaclava is disarmingly hilarious. Kneecap, the 2024 movie that offers a fictionalised account of their rise to fame, is a Bafta- and Oscar-nominated Northern Irish film sensation.
Friends like these
One of the stranger characteristics of the populist oligarchy mobilising around Donald Trump's new administration is the interest taken in the domestic politics of the UK.
Irresistible force
A new documentary about gentle rugby giant Jonah Lomu reveals little but is a reminder of what made him special.
Fleeing the nest
A tale of building a new life after an abusive relationship makes for an impressive debut.
Life less ordinary
Chelsie Preston Crayford follows a big 2024 with a new comedy role and putting the finishing touches on her debut feature as a director and writer.
Not on our watch
Nasa, one of the most technologically advanced organisations on the planet, made prospective astronauts take inkblot tests to determine their sexuality.
No free lunch
The new, cut-price school lunch programme will shut out many community providers. But will bulk-supplied meals meet children’s needs?
