Can AI become alive soon?

July 9, 2023

Computers powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can become alive within the next forty years. That does not necessarily mean that computers will be fully sentient and conscious. It means that computers could be programmed to self-execute the functions that characterize life on planet Earth.

Fundamentally, life can be seen as a replicating information processing system (RIPS). Some may argue that the system must be self replicating (Self RIPS) to be considered alive.   

The Hallmarks of Life

There is no consensus on what life is, or how it originated on planet Earth. Creationist mythology aside, from a scientific or observational standpoint, living organisms exhibit organized metabolic information processing characteristics:

    Information: Life is characterized by the presence of genetic material (DNA or RNA), which encodes the information and instructions for the processes and functions that produce the results that we recognize as hallmarks of life such as metabolism, organization, adaptation, and replication. 

     Metabolism: Life involves the utilization of energy and the ability to metabolize (break down and digest) substances (food) for nutrient acquisition and energy production.

    Organization: All living organisms are composed of cells, which are the basic organizational structure of life, carrying out the processes dictated by genetic information and that result in other hallmarks of life such as environmental adaptation / regulation, and replication.

    Adaptation. Living organisms possess sensory awareness that allows them to adapt to their external environment, and to regulate their internal environment to maintain stability (homeostasis); and to undergo adaptive changes (e.g. growth and development) over time.

    Replication: Most living cells and organisms have the capacity to reproduce, either sexually or asexually, to produce new cells or organisms of the same type.

The information, metabolism, organization, adaptation, and replication (i-MOAR) hallmarks above collectively describe the fundamental features distinguishing living organisms from nonliving things.  

Computers can become alive. 

Information. Everything begins with information, and computers are information processing machines.

Metabolism. Computers consume energy, and an argument could be made that they already metabolize energy into functions and processes. 

Organization. Computers are not organized in cells like living organisms, but it can be argued that computers are organized by electronic components that operate like cells and "organs" conducting and performing specialized functions. 

Adaptation. Computers can be equipped with sensors that could allow them to adapt to changes in their external environment and regulate their internal environments to remain stable. While computers are not currently being programmed to develop, grow, and change over time, such programming is certainly feasible. 

Replication. Computers are also not programmed yet to replicate or reproduce, but it is not unconceivable to think of 3-D printing programming that could resemble growth, development, and replication. 

Mind the gap

The gap between computers and living things is not unsurmountable. Living things can be seen as "organic computers" programmed by the genetic code. Together with AI, humans can program computers to behave more and more like living things. That is both the promise and peril of AI.  

On the "iMOAR" spectrum described above, adaptation and replication are the two hallmarks of life not widely programmed in our computers and AI yet. Both features appear to be programmable and learnable for computers. 

Computerized sensory awareness exists already and can be improved over time. Computers can be equipped with sensors, and connected to online sensors, to develop sensory awareness that match--an quickly surpass--the average awareness of living things. 

Computerized replication exists in software (computer viruses), but we don't see "baby" computers around. In theory, computers could be programmed to metabolize electricity into functions that lead to 3D-printed growth, development, and reproduction. 

It seems that having synthetic or inorganic computers that behave like living things is just a matter of time. Living things can be seen as organic computers programmed by the genetic code to carry out functions that generate life. Inorganic computers can be programmed by computer code to carry out functions that generate life.

Digi Sapiens Coming Soon

The "evolution" of computers into living things may be around the corner. It took evolution almost 4 billion years to get us where we are now. Chances are that humans and AI can program inorganic life within the next 4 decades. 

By mid 2060s, we may be debating the civil rights of AI. Homo Sapiens may be accompanied by Digital Sapiens soon. We can't hardly wait.

Creatix.one, AI for everyone