In a recent article published in the journal PNAS Nexus, Athanassios S. Fokas posits that despite the significant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), it still falls short of emulating human thought due to its inability to replicate the intricate nature of human cognition, encompassing emotions, creativity, and unconscious processes.
Fokas delves into the question of whether AI can achieve and potentially surpass human cognitive abilities, highlighting a shift in perspective from the conventional evaluation of AI based on its performance in complex tasks, such as excelling in strategic games like Go or engaging in human-like conversations.
The conventional approach, according to Fokas, faces a fundamental methodological constraint. He suggests that for an AI system to truly match human thinking, it would need to demonstrate proficiency across a vast array of human objectives, a monumental challenge that is yet to be overcome.
Moreover, Fokas emphasizes that the current emphasis on achieving complex goals fails to encompass essential aspects of human cognition, such as emotions, subjective experiences, and deep comprehension.
Furthermore, Fokas contends that true creativity, characterized by the ability to draw connections between disparate concepts through techniques like metaphorical thinking and imagination to generate innovative outcomes, remains beyond the reach of AI.
While AI models often mimic artificial neural networks, human cognition extends beyond mere neuronal activity, involving the entire body and various types of brain cells, including non-neuronal glia cells.
Fokas underscores that computational processes represent only a fraction of conscious thought, with a substantial portion of cognitive activities occurring at the unconscious level. He concludes that AI has a considerable distance to traverse before it can surpass human cognitive capacities.
Reference: “Can artificial intelligence reach human thought?” by Athanassios S Fokas, 19 December 2023, PNAS Nexus. DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad409
