When Google AI scientist Blake Lemoine claimed Google’s new AI chatbot LaMDA has the consciousness of a kid, it led to instant ripples across the world. At the same time, AI scientists all over the world were skeptical of the claims. There were both supporters and dissenters, and Google’s treatment of Lemoine further contributed to theories and conspiracy theories.
As it stands now, LaMDA is very little likely to be sentient in the true definition of the word. However, there’s no doubt that it’s a path-breaking AI chatbot innovation. The average person will soon be able to interact with LaMDA as Google launches its AI Test Kitchen app. While it will not offer the complete scope of interactions to the public, it would definitely give a taste of what LaMDA is capable of.
Google has announced that it will not include the sentience conversation in the publicly accessible version of LaMDA. While this may ring a few alarms, the chances of LaMDA being truly sentient are very slim. This new public test is being approached cautiously by Google. As opposed to providing LaMDA as a completely open-ended experience, it will use structured scenarios to introduce the bot to users. Google hopes that this effort will make the masses more aware of the potential of AI chatbots.
Android users from the United States will have the earliest access to LaMDA. iOS users will gain access later, followed by users from other countries. It’s an exciting moment for AI enthusiasts across the world.
