Part 14/17:

Bach ponders whether consciousness might be necessary or superfluous in AI systems. Could an AI exhibit full coherence without consciousness by entirely mechanistic means? Or might consciousness be a crucial feature enabling flexible, adaptive, and meaningful engagement with the world?

He posits future "post-conscious" states—hypothetical scenarios where self-awareness becomes superfluous because systems operate in hyper-high resolution, integrating manifold perspectives into holistic awareness or transcending consciousness altogether.

Ethical and Societal Implications

Considerations about Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) dominate the discourse:

• Will AGIs be conscious or mere simulacra?