It is interesting to think about machine consciousness but I feel we need much more neuroscience and neurotechnology to make progress in consciousness research. Currently we are very limited in empirical work.

I feel Independent Researchers have recently received very bad reputation. Editors of a journal probably know what I mean. So many low quality LLM-generated papers are now submitted by independent researchers. I used to believe that research should be judged entirely based on its content. But the sheer volume of low-quality papers being mass-produced has seriously damaged the reputation of Independent Researcher.

CALLED: In 2024 God spoke to me. What He said changed my life and ministry. Discouraged I stood outside a large jail, looking at the sky above the building. I prayed and asked Him if I was doing what He wanted me to do. I opened my Bible. God set this Scripture before my eyes: “Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD: that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die.” - February 10, 2024 | Psalm 102:18-20 Reading those words almost knocked me to my knees. I knew I was doing God’s work and I’m never going to stop. I post this testimony every month or two. I need a reminder of what matters most. God. Family. Ministry.

I tend to think (intrinsic/causal) computational functionalism is currently the most reasonable metaphysical position about consciousness. And this implies the possibility of AI consciousness. Other positions are logically possible, but I feel they are unlikely to be true.

It seems that no amount of circumstantial evidence will ever lead us to conclude that an AI is conscious. But proving that it is not conscious seems equally difficult. We may end up simply arguing over what each of us believes. Can we find a new scientific experiment or a new philosophical framework that breaks this deadlock? Since science may not settle this anytime soon, AI consciousness may become more of a question of social consensus and personal belief. These are also important.

After ConCon, one research direction I want to pursue is building an AI model that captures some key features of the brain and studying what is inside it. LLM is useful but sometimes it's difficult to see to what extent analogy works. It may be impossible to reproduce all the biological details of the brain, but perhaps we can capture some of its essential properties at the right level of abstraction. I think such models could become a powerful tool for consciousness research.