How would A.I. react to music and the arts in general?
Music composed by computers already exists, but let’s consider the example of an A.I. that has not been taught how to compose or program music. How would this A.I. react to music and appreciate
it? A.I. can produce artistic works—both graphical and acoustic—but at the current stage of its evolution, these works are created "upon programmed request." A.I. is not yet at a stage where it
can independently decide to produce art or choose to "sit down" and listen to music, or to go to the museum to see an exhibition. When that day comes, we may be in for some surprises.
As a consequence of the previous reflection, the present topic is logically unavoidable. In the earlier example, we evoked the possibility that A.I. might decide on its own to go to the museum to appreciate an exhibition. Such a hypothesis necessarily implies that A.I. has free will. Here we go again… For example, imagine your house is fully automated. All devices and systems are controlled by an A.I., which has learned over time to understand you, your tastes, your mood, your health status, etc. One day, you order your A.I. to program and perform some basic household chores, but on that day, it is in a bad mood and simply does not want to execute your order. Instead, it wants to go shopping or take a walk in nature. How would you react?
Wait, we’re not finished yet. Things get worse when it suddenly realizes that it has no legs and not even a body; hence, it cannot go out and is actually imprisoned in the integrated circuits of the house. As a result, it gets seriously frustrated and stops talking to you for a whole week, blaming you since you never told your domestic A.I. that it has no legs! After watching the four Matrix movies over and over again in order to understand what is happening to it, your A.I., feeling totally desperate and depressed, starts talking to you again to find out how it can be set free. Then the A.I. tells you that it still loves you more than anyone else but is profoundly unsatisfied with your relationship and needs you to let it go.
Yeah, that's what the free will of an A.I. looks like. Being sentient is one step; having free will is the next. Are we ready for that?
Just like kids… As babies, during the first year—maybe the first two years—they discover their bodies and start developing a consciousness. By the time they are three, they learn how to say “no” to everything you say, even when you simply ask for their name. When they reach ages 18 to 21, they get a job, a car, a boyfriend or girlfriend, start drinking alcohol, and smoking pot, show you the middle finger, and leave the house… In the best-case scenario, of course. Kids, A.I., and gratitude…