Nirvana Shatkam in the Age of AI
Questioner: Namaste, sir. Sir, you know we are a process and governed by certain principles. Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of news about AI, and one thing that strikes me is the fact that one AI process could be fed into another AI process. If the deep Turing test determines the sentient capability of consciousness, self-awareness, etc., of a machine, then one machine could inherently become far more capable — sort of superconscious — than the previous one. That's something human beings can't do; we cannot transfer the complete brain to another one.
So, my question is: in this whole notion of consciousness, self-awareness, volition, moral ethics, and conduct, etc., I see machines overpowering human beings, in the sense that human beings have created something, but in a way has created something more dangerous — kind of overpowering our own sense of belonging as human beings. I definitely see this tinkering with the laws of nature, Prakriti and everything, causing a lot of challenges to the world.
I just wanted to hear your views on where AI is taking the world today regarding humanity and whether it is leading to progress or a downward spiral.
Acharya Prashant: I do not think I’m very clear about the question. In what sense do you think AI is overpowering human consciousness?
Questioner: What I am looking for is to develop better consciousness — to become a more self-aware person. When I see a machine that is almost replicating my own sense of consciousness and self-awareness, I get perturbed. The machine itself appears more powerful than me in terms of its super-consciousness power.
Acharya Prashant: No, no. What do you mean by super-consciousness power? That’s where the haziness is.
Questioner: Super-consciousness as in: one machine is created, and then its capability is fed into another machine.
Acharya Prashant: Capability with respect to what?
Questioner: With respect to the initial learning or AI capabilities it has acquired.
Acharya Prashant: It can perform tasks, right?
Questioner: Yes, sir.
Acharya Prashant: So how is that challenging human consciousness?
Questioner: Because simulation of the Turing test itself suggests that, at a certain point, a machine can almost replicate a human being, fooling humans in the sense that….
Acharya Prashant: It is only replicating the part of human consciousness that is anyway mechanical and replicable. That which is replicable in you will be replicated. For example, a statue can be made that looks just like you because your body and physical features are replicable. So, somebody will replicate them. How does that threaten you?
You are not that which can be replicated. And if something can be replicated, that is not you. So let it be replicated—what’s the problem?
Somebody makes a statue, how does that threaten your existence? Somebody clicks a photograph, how does that threaten your existence? That looks like you, but it’s not you. Somebody downloads the entire content of your memory, that’s possible. Each passing day, that's becoming more and more possible, the entire content of your memory can be downloaded. But that’s not you. All your genetic material can be taken and a clone can be raised, that is still not you again. How does that threaten you?
So, go to Nirvāṇa Ṣaṭkam. When such doubts arise and worries, you need to know what you are not. That which you are not — let it be copied, substituted, or outsourced or whatever. Someone copies my voice, but how does that threaten me? Am I my voice? So, Nirvāṇa Ṣaṭkam. And when you can discount everything that you are not then, "Chidānanda-rūpaḥ Śivo’ham Śivo’ham."
Mind you, nobody can halt the march of science and technology. All that science can do, it will do. There is no need to feel threatened. You will be cloned, replicated, duplicated, and substituted.
Therefore, you must come to that within you which is alone, not transferable or available to be duplicated. What is that? That’s who you are.
All else is just stuff you are attached to, and stuff is stuff.
