[samtheman]

I basically agree with everything you are saying... for now.

I do allow for the (right now very slim) possibility of some kind of functional equivalent to self-awareness developing along with a certain critical level of intelligence.

I agree with you right now it’s not there and appears to be remote and science-fiction-ish.

But I don’t discount the possibility. And I do think that though unlikely it could happen sooner than I think.

[usconservative]

I work on AI projects so I have a little more insight than most people do. Not an "expert" by any stretch, I don't know it all (never will ...) and I always allow for the possibility that I may be wrong.

My own opinion based on what I do, see, read, etc.. is that we're so far away from real "learning" algorithms that make their own independent decisions ("consciousness") that it's highly unlikely it'll ever happen, much less happen in my lifetime. I'm 55.

Granted, I could be wrong. Been there, done that, will be wrong again.