[layer8]

That could be easily fixed by providing the AI with a constant stream of input.

For humans, part of the input of the human mind comes from the continuous processes and clocks within the human body, so it’s questionable whether the brain could “think on its own” without such input either.

[nozzlegear]

The continuous input for the human arises naturally, it doesn't arise naturally for an LLM unless we direct it so. Our consciousness is bootstrapped, the LLM isn't.

[antisthenes]

I think you have grazed my stance on this topic in the sense of what separates LLMs from complete human (or any other biological life) sentience.

It's the constant sensory input of the world and the realization and drive to survive as the second order effect of it. Mortality, vulnerability to external factors codified as input could in fact allow the LLM to independ as sentience.

Of course besides the sensors, it would also need a way to affect the physical world, and to be able to monitor the degradation if its own hardware, but when that barrier is crossed, it would be much closer to full sentience than whatever we have right now (which is nowhere near sentience or AGI).

[layer8]

We have virtually no idea how consciousness arises in the human brain. Furthermore, what is “natural” supposed mean here, and why should it matter for consciousness whether some prerequisite arises naturally or not?

[nozzlegear]

I was literally only responding to "Is that any different from an LLM having a context window" lol. Let's keep that in our context windows. I'm not interested in discussing how human consciousness is different from supposed LLM consciousness; it's enough for me to know that humans are conscious, and in an obvious, clearly distinct way, even if we can't define it. Sniffing our own farts about whether LLMs are or aren't is just that – nerds larping as philosophers while practicing fart sniffing. It's a machine, periodt, we can quit roleplaying.