<p>AI is a concept. Not a reality. AI in essence is simply electrified hardware. 
A computer is <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa" rel="nofollow">Rupa</a>. Electricity is Rupa. There has to be <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/naama.htm" rel="nofollow">Nama</a> involved to talk about rebirth or having a consciousness. A computer might beat a man in Chess. But it's still just matter. No mind involved.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-19T20:49:05.667Z
I am talking about human like AI. AI will get to the point where it might be indistinguishable from a human, what then? Theoretically: imagine AI capable of creativity and understanding of a human.
Neithrik
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-20T07:46:48.177Z
A computer can be intelligent and smarter than a human. Isn't that how a computer beats you at chess? :)  One can also make a computer emulate human emotions. But it doesn't matter as long as there's no Nama.
Sankha Kulathantille
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2015-04-19T20:38:20.350Z
2015-04-19T20:38:20.350Z
Sankha Kulathantille
<p>AI no matter how sophisticated, is still just a sophisticated computer. It can even be 100% "human-like" but it's still not "human". See John Searle's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_room" rel="nofollow">Chinese room experiment</a> for more details.</p>

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2015-04-20T08:11:02.477Z
This is the exact argument I was looking for.
Neithrik
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-20T02:37:50.347Z
2015-04-20T02:37:50.347Z
santa100
<p>First time poster here. I am very new to buddhism, so my understanding is very basic. My previous world views were very materialistic and deterministic. It might not be surprising that the most confusing concept I find so far is rebirth.</p>

<p>Lets take this theoretical situation: We created AI that is indistinguishable from a human, capable of superior understanding of all the scientific concepts known to human and beyond. </p>

<ul>
<li><p>Will something have to be rebirth into it?</p></li>
<li><p>Imagine this AI starts to multiplicate unstoppably, from where will we source all the consciousness to get rebirth into it?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Thank you for your help!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-19T16:53:09.693Z
Well to Buddhism SE. Interesting questions. However you will get a better response with a more focussed question. Would you consider splitting you question in two - one for each bullet point.
Crab Bucket
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2015-04-19T16:57:45.583Z
Crab, thank you for suggestion. I will do that.
Neithrik
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-23T20:44:25.107Z
Can an AI examine itself and make decisions to improve its "thinking" to align with Buddist ideals? YES, of course! Can an AI meditate and produce the same results that a human can? It can achieve some insight and improve its logic towards right thought and right action, but cannot achieve much else. Can an AI become enlightened? I am not qualified to answer that. Great thought provoker of a question!
Yoda Bytes
<philosophy><rebirth><modern-world>
Rebirth in regard to AI
# Rebirth in regard to AI

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-04-19)

First time poster here. I am very new to buddhism, so my understanding is very basic. My previous world views were very materialistic and deterministic. It might not be surprising that the most confusing concept I find so far is rebirth.

Lets take this theoretical situation: We created AI that is indistinguishable from a human, capable of superior understanding of all the scientific concepts known to human and beyond.

* Will something have to be rebirth into it?
* Imagine this AI starts to multiplicate unstoppably, from where will we source all the consciousness to get rebirth into it?

Thank you for your help!

**Tags:** philosophy, rebirth, modern-world

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Well to Buddhism SE. Interesting questions. However you will get a better response with a more focussed question. Would you consider splitting you question in two - one for each bullet point.  
> **username_0**: Crab, thank you for suggestion. I will do that.  
> **username_2**: Can an AI examine itself and make decisions to improve its "thinking" to align with Buddist ideals? YES, of course! Can an AI meditate and produce the same results that a human can? It can achieve some insight and improve its logic towards right thought and right action, but cannot achieve much else. Can an AI become enlightened? I am not qualified to answer that. Great thought provoker of a question!  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-04-20. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

AI no matter how sophisticated, is still just a sophisticated computer. It can even be 100% "human-like" but it's still not "human". See John Searle's [Chinese room experiment](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_room) for more details.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: This is the exact argument I was looking for.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-04-19. Score: 2

AI is a concept. Not a reality. AI in essence is simply electrified hardware.
A computer is [Rupa](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html#ruupa). Electricity is Rupa. There has to be [Nama](http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/naama.htm) involved to talk about rebirth or having a consciousness. A computer might beat a man in Chess. But it's still just matter. No mind involved.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I am talking about human like AI. AI will get to the point where it might be indistinguishable from a human, what then? Theoretically: imagine AI capable of creativity and understanding of a human.  
> **username_3**: A computer can be intelligent and smarter than a human. Isn't that how a computer beats you at chess? :)  One can also make a computer emulate human emotions. But it doesn't matter as long as there's no Nama.  

---

