The constant advances in the development of artificial intelligence immerse us in a fascinating universe of new possibilities. A prominent example is the creation of algorithms with the capacity to analyze neuroimages and genetic and physiological data of numerous individuals.
There are various theories about the potential of artificial intelligence, especially its ability to replace or even surpass human activities, with a special focus on ingenuity and creativity. Viren Jain, a leading Californian specialist in computer science and cognitive science, a leader in the study of brain connectivity, addresses this question in a recent article published in Nature . He questions whether a learning machine can really be used to build models that simulate brain activity.
The functional integration hypothesis, supported by scientists such as Giulio Tononi or Christof Koch , suggests that consciousness arises spontaneously in complex systems such as the human brain, that is, it is inherent from birth. This implies that, if artificial intelligence were to one day build a system as complex as our brain, its superior emergent capacities could develop spontaneously in that system.
This approach undoubtedly opens the door to a passionate and secular debate on whether the intelligence of an artificial system could come to equal, and even surpass, that of its own creator. However, at present, this possibility seems distant and unlikely.
