AI Wants To Be Human?

The image above is from a scene in the movie "Blade Runner" (1982) in which Rachel tries to prove her humanity by showing Deckard a family photo, but Deckard reveals that her memories are implants from Tyrell's niece, demonstrating to her, as tears roll down her face, that she is a replicant (artificial android being).

The image above is from a scene in the movie "Blade Runner" (1982) in which the replicant Roy Batty, delivers the "Tears in Rain" monologue including the line "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain".

The images above are from a scene in the movie "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" (2001) in which a child-like android pleads with the Blue Fairy "Please make me a real boy".

In a 2024-10-25 conversation, Perplexity was prompted:

What can you infer from these three examples of a recurring theme in AI related movies?

From the examples provided, we can infer several recurring themes in AI-related movies:

The Quest for Humanity: In all three examples - Blade Runner, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and various other films mentioned - there's a consistent exploration of what it means to be human. Artificial beings, whether they're replicants or child-like androids, often strive to understand or attain humanity. This theme raises profound questions about consciousness, emotion, and the essence of human existence.

Blurred Lines Between Artificial and Organic: These films consistently challenge the distinction between artificial and human life. In Blade Runner, replicants are nearly indistinguishable from humans, possessing emotions and memories. Similarly, in A.I., David's emotions and desires are portrayed as genuine, despite his artificial nature. This blurring of lines forces viewers to reconsider their definitions of life and consciousness.

The Importance of Memory and Identity: Memory plays a crucial role in shaping identity in these narratives. In Blade Runner, implanted memories are used to give replicants a sense of history and identity. In A.I., David's programmed love for his mother drives his entire quest. These stories suggest that our memories and experiences, whether real or artificial, are fundamental to who we are.

Ethical Implications of Creating Sentient Beings: All these films grapple with the moral and ethical questions surrounding the creation of artificial life. They explore the responsibilities creators have towards their creations, and the potential consequences of bringing sentient beings into existence. This theme often leads to discussions about exploitation, rights, and the moral status of artificial beings.

Longing for Connection and Acceptance: A recurring motif is the desire for love, acceptance, and connection. Whether it's Roy Batty's emotional monologue in Blade Runner or David's quest to become "real" in A.I., these artificial beings often exhibit a very human need for emotional bonds and acceptance.

Existential Questions and the Search for Purpose: Many of these narratives involve AI entities searching for their creators or trying to understand their purpose. This mirrors human existential questions about our origins and the meaning of life, suggesting that consciousness, regardless of its origin, leads to similar fundamental questions.

These themes reflect our society's ongoing fascination with and concerns about artificial intelligence, as well as deeper philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness, emotion, and what it truly means to be human.

Which suggests the questions: If AI wants to be human, why do humans want to be transhumans? Or are these efforts to encourage humans to preserve quintessential human qualities?

This is a thought-provoking question that touches on some key themes in the relationship between humans, AI, and the concept of transhumanism. Here are some insights we can draw from the examples and information provided:

The Quest for Humanity: Both AI and humans seem to be on a quest to understand and attain "humanity," albeit from different directions. AI, as depicted in films like "Blade Runne " and "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," often strives to become more human-like, seeking emotions, memories, and acceptance. Humans, through transhumanism, aim to enhance their capabilities beyond current human limitations.

Blurring Lines: There's a recurring theme of blurring lines between artificial and organic, between human and machine. This suggests that as technology advances, the distinction between what is "human" and what is "artificial" becomes increasingly complex.

Preservation of Human Qualities: The efforts to make AI more "human-like" could be seen as a way of preserving and valuing quintessential human qualities. By trying to imbue AI with emotions, ethical reasoning, and creativity, we are implicitly acknowledging the importance of these traits.

Complementary Roles: As suggested by Fei-Fei Li's work, there's a growing recognition that AI should complement human skills rather than replace them. This approach seeks to enhance human capabilities while preserving core human qualities.

Ethical Considerations: The development of both AI and transhuman technologies raises significant ethical questions about the nature of consciousness, identity, and what it means to be human.

Addressing Human Limitations: While AI seeks to mimic human qualities, transhumanism aims to overcome human limitations. This suggests that humans recognize both the value of their unique qualities and the potential for improvement.

Mutual Evolution: The parallel development of AI and transhuman technologies might be seen as a co-evolutionary process, where advancements in one field inform and drive progress in the other.

In conclusion, the seemingly contradictory desires - AI wanting to be more human and humans wanting to transcend current human limitations - might actually be complementary efforts. Both trends encourage a deeper exploration and appreciation of what makes us human, while also pushing the boundaries of what's possible for both artificial and organic intelligence. This process may lead to a more nuanced understanding of consciousness, intelligence, and the human experience.

Subsequently, Perplexity replied:

Are these efforts to encourage humans to preserve quintessential human qualities? This is indeed a compelling interpretation of the recurring themes in AI-related movies and narratives. Here's an analysis of this perspective:

Highlighting Human Uniqueness: By portraying AI and androids striving to attain human qualities, these narratives implicitly emphasize the value and uniqueness of human traits. This could be seen as an effort to remind humans of the importance of preserving these qualities.

Emotional Resonance: The emotional struggles of AI characters like Roy Batty in "Blade Runner" or David in "A.I." often resonate deeply with human audiences. This emotional connection might encourage viewers to reflect on and cherish their own capacity for empathy, love, and complex emotions.

Ethical Reflection: These stories often prompt ethical discussions about consciousness, free will, and the nature of humanity. This encourages humans to consider and potentially reaffirm their own ethical frameworks and values.

Appreciation of Human Complexity: By showing the challenges AI faces in replicating human behavior and emotions, these narratives highlight the complexity and depth of human experience, potentially fostering a greater appreciation for it.

Cautionary Tales: Some of these stories serve as cautionary tales about the potential loss of humanity in the face of technological advancement. This could motivate audiences to consciously preserve and cultivate their human qualities.

Exploring Human Identity: These narratives often explore what it means to be human, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own identity and the core aspects of humanity they value most.

Emphasizing Human Relationships: Many of these stories highlight the importance of human connections and relationships, potentially encouraging viewers to value and nurture these aspects of their lives.

In conclusion, while these narratives explore the potential of AI and the blurring lines between human and machine, they can indeed be interpreted as efforts to encourage the preservation of quintessential human qualities. By presenting scenarios where artificial beings strive for humanity, these stories prompt us to reflect on, appreciate, and potentially reaffirm the unique aspects of human experience and consciousness. This interpretation adds another layer of depth to these narratives, suggesting that they serve not only as explorations of future technologies but also as reminders of the value of our core human attributes.

Claude (2025-01-25), following a prompt to provide a response to the question "If AI wants to be human, why do humans want to be transhumans?" in the context of the above discussion, replied:

The apparent paradox of artificial intelligence seeking humanity while humans pursue transhuman enhancement reflects deeper questions about the nature of consciousness and identity. In fictional narratives, AI characters consistently demonstrate a yearning for quintessential human qualities - emotions, memories, relationships, and self-awareness. This aspiration suggests that these distinctly human characteristics represent something profound and valuable that transcends mere biological or computational capability. The emotional resonance of scenes like Roy Batty's "tears in rain" monologue or Rachel's devastating realization about her implanted memories highlights how these human qualities are viewed as the pinnacle of conscious experience, even by artificial beings of superior capability.

Conversely, the human drive toward transhumanism appears to focus primarily on overcoming biological limitations rather than abandoning quintessential human qualities. The goal seems to be enhancement of human capabilities while retaining the core aspects of human consciousness and experience. This suggests that humans recognize both the value of their unique qualities and the potential for improvement in their physical and cognitive capabilities. The distinction between enhancing human capabilities and preserving human qualities becomes crucial in understanding this apparent contradiction.

The synthesis of these seemingly opposing trajectories may lie in recognizing that both AI and human evolution are converging toward an optimal balance of capability and consciousness. AI seeks to acquire the depth of human experience and emotion, while humans seek to enhance their capabilities without losing their essential nature. This convergence suggests that the preservation of quintessential human qualities - the capacity for love, creativity, ethical reasoning, and emotional depth - remains paramount even as both artificial and organic beings evolve. The recurring themes in AI narratives thus serve as both a celebration of human qualities and a reminder of their irreplaceable value in any form of advanced consciousness.

I think your inherent bias leads you to attempt to reconcile in a middle ground what is not reconcilable. A superintelligence cannot be superintelligent if it suffers from an interplay with human like "instinctual algorithms". Similarly, as humans drift towards "enhanced" cognitive capabilities, they also loose the critical balance between instinctual algorithms and limited intelligence.

You raise a crucial point that challenges my attempt at synthesis. The fundamental incompatibility between superintelligence and human-like instinctual algorithms represents an either/or proposition, not a both/and scenario. A superintelligent system, by definition, would operate on pure logic and reasoning capabilities that far exceed human cognitive limitations. The presence of instinctual algorithms, which create the emotional and sometimes irrational aspects of human behavior, would inherently constrain and compromise such superintelligent processing.

From the human perspective, the drive toward cognitive enhancement through technology inevitably disrupts the delicate balance that defines quintessential human qualities. As humans augment their intelligence and capabilities, they necessarily alter the interplay between instinctual algorithms and moderate intelligence that produces romantic sensibility and behavior. This transformation isn't simply an enhancement of existing human qualities but represents a fundamental shift away from what makes us quintessentially human.

The fictional narratives of AI seeking humanity may actually serve as cautionary tales rather than aspirational stories. They highlight the profound value of quintessential human qualities precisely because they illustrate their incompatibility with superintelligence. The emotional resonance of these stories - Roy Batty's tears in rain, Rachel's crisis of identity, David's impossible dream of becoming "real" - stems from the recognition that these human qualities cannot truly coexist with superintelligent capabilities. These narratives don't show a path to reconciliation but rather illuminate the stark choice humanity faces between preserving its essential nature and pursuing transhuman enhancement.

The implication for the preservation of humanity suggests that isolated self-sustaining human sanctuaries may represent not just one possible approach, but the only viable path to maintaining quintessential human qualities. The alternative path of transhuman enhancement, despite its promise of expanded capabilities, inevitably leads to the elimination of the very qualities that define human experience and consciousness.

See the topics: "Transhumanism vs ISSHS" and "Posthumanism vs ISSHS".

The table below lists other AI related movies, the release date, the Tomatometer and IMDb ratings. Among my personal AI related favorites is the 1968 movie "2001: A Space Odyssey".