A Theoretical Computer Science Perspective on Consciousness and Artificial General Intelligence

The Conscious Turing Machine (CTM) is a simple theoretical model designed to explore consciousness from a Theoretical Computer Science perspective, emphasizing simplicity and understandability rather than mimicking the brain. Its design draws from neuroscience and psychology, and it offers a novel guide for creating Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The CTM contains many powerful processors, some specialized and others unspecialized but capable of developing expertise. It efficiently utilizes processors with the necessary knowledge, ability, and time to address problems, even without awareness of which processors are suitable.

Study at a glance

Abstract

We have defined the Conscious Turing Machine (CTM) for the purpose of investigating a Theoretical Computer Science (TCS) approach to consciousness. For this, we have hewn to the TCS demand for simplicity and understandability. The CTM is consequently and intentionally a simple machine. It is not a model of the brain, though its design has greatly benefited - and continues to benefit - from neuroscience and psychology. The CTM is a model of and for consciousness. Although it is developed to understand consciousness, the CTM offers a thoughtful and novel guide to the creation of an Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) . For example, the CTM has an enormous number of powerful processors, some with specialized expertise, others unspecialized but poised to develop an expertise. For whatever problem must be dealt with, the CTM has an excellent way to utilize those processors that have the required knowledge, ability, and time to work on the problem, even if it is not aware of which ones these may be.