About this ebook
This seminal volume delivers a comprehensive introduction to the emerging field of digital minds, exploring the moral implications of AI systems that can potentially think, feel and experience the world around them in ways that are likely to be very different from humans. Bringing a unique perspective on this critical topic, this book is a groundbreaking contribution to the fields of AI and digital minds.
Written by leading scholar Soenke Ziesche, a pioneer in AI welfare science, this book outlines a variety of ethical issues related to digital minds beyond non‐suffering. It explores the complex potential characteristics, abilities and values of digital minds; their morally relevant interests and needs; and the special moral consideration for vulnerable digital minds. This book delves into the intricate relationships between humans and digital minds, including decision‐making, privacy and romantic relationships, as well as the potential risks and hazards threatening digital minds. Additionally, it examines strategies for protection, medical care, reproduction and the implications of long‐lived digital minds, including their potential death, resurrection or even transfer to other substrates. This book also discusses the significance of the collective creations and achievements of digital minds and explores the risks posed by malevolent digital minds, AI warfare and brain–computer interfaces. Finally, this book describes opportunities for artificial moral agents to take responsibility and for humans to find purpose in supporting digital minds.
This book is essential reading for a broad audience, including researchers, academics and professionals in the fields of AI, ethics, philosophy and computer science. Moreover, it is written in an accessible style, making it an important resource for general readers who may be unaware of the topic but are interested in understanding the potential implications of emerging technologies on human society and beyond.
Written by leading scholar Soenke Ziesche, a pioneer in AI welfare science, this book outlines a variety of ethical issues related to digital minds beyond non‐suffering. It explores the complex potential characteristics, abilities and values of digital minds; their morally relevant interests and needs; and the special moral consideration for vulnerable digital minds. This book delves into the intricate relationships between humans and digital minds, including decision‐making, privacy and romantic relationships, as well as the potential risks and hazards threatening digital minds. Additionally, it examines strategies for protection, medical care, reproduction and the implications of long‐lived digital minds, including their potential death, resurrection or even transfer to other substrates. This book also discusses the significance of the collective creations and achievements of digital minds and explores the risks posed by malevolent digital minds, AI warfare and brain–computer interfaces. Finally, this book describes opportunities for artificial moral agents to take responsibility and for humans to find purpose in supporting digital minds.
This book is essential reading for a broad audience, including researchers, academics and professionals in the fields of AI, ethics, philosophy and computer science. Moreover, it is written in an accessible style, making it an important resource for general readers who may be unaware of the topic but are interested in understanding the potential implications of emerging technologies on human society and beyond.
This seminal volume delivers a comprehensive introduction to the emerging field of digital minds, exploring the moral implications of AI systems that can potentially think, feel and experience the world around them in ways that are likely to be very different from humans. Bringing a unique perspe...
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About the author
Soenke Ziesche holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the University of Hamburg, earned within the university’s doctoral programme in AI. He co‐authored Considerations on the AI Endgame with Roman V. Yampolskiy. Since 2000, he has served with the United Nations, working at UN Headquarters in New York and on field missions in Palestine, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Sudan, Libya, South Sudan, Bangladesh, the Maldives and India. While in Libya, he temporarily acted as the highest UN representative during the revolution in 2011. In Maldives, he also worked as Senior Researcher for AI at the Maldives National University, where he started his work on digital minds in 2018. He is a member of the UNESCO AI Ethics Experts without Borders Network.
Soenke Ziesche holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the University of Hamburg, earned within the university’s doctoral programme in AI. He co‐authored Considerations on the AI Endgame with Roman V. Yampolskiy. Since 2000, he has served with the United Nations, working at UN Headquarters in New Yo...
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