Our brains are a muscle that can create an infinite number of connections between two points. These connections give us options. The more connections we create the more options we will have.
The computing power of our minds is infinite because of our ability to create as many connections as we allow ourselves. We create these connections by exercising our minds. By exploring new pathways towards uncharted territories.
The pursuit of AI or artificial intelligence in machines is purely and simply the creation of options. An attempt to give a machine as many options as possible by empowering it to decide what to do next based on all previous connections…just like the human brain. Technology is allowing microchips (that are getting smaller and more efficient) to compute these options at an ever increasing rate. This will ultimately allow the machine to create its own connections and therefore allowing it to create its own options. Self awareness.
Somewhat of a scary thought to think that a machine is able to understand that it can exist in and of itself. What was once the contents of science fiction novel or futuristic machine war film, there can be no doubt that we are now designing computers to empower them to choose.
We may be a way off before the number of connections comes close to self awareness but we are approaching an era of exponential computing ability that will one day mimic the human mind. Computers will be powerful enough to choose. For themselves.