Let us distinguish between two forms of thought processes lest we become totally misled and lose our sense of humanity. Since time began almost, the question of discerning between intelligent actions and the state of consciousness are part of our psyches yet different than each other. We must not mistake these two integral parts of defining the two.

As far as intelligence is concerned we can call wolves intelligent. They are cunning, have great sensory capability, and vicious when it comes to survival, but are they conscious, do they have awareness of themselves? Are they philosophical, do they wonder about what their place is in the universe? Animals have differing levels of intelligence, chimpanzees and crows can use tools, but does that mean they have self-awareness, other than the skills to survive? Are they philosophical? No!

Even though there animals with even bigger brains in relation to their body size, do they have a consciousness that allows them to create, to use technology, to build complex machinery and travel by means of spacecraft or airplanes? No! Dolphins and whales actually have larger brains. Cro-Magnons had larger brains than Homo sapiens, but why did we rise above other species in dominion over the world? We’re not the most powerful, the stealthiest, and the most carnivorous. Yet, we undoubtedly own the planet, unless speculation that extraterrestrials hostile to humanity have been manipulating us for ages without our knowing. Christians believe that God gave man dominion over the world as written in the Bible, and how we have abused that privilege!

Dolphins have a more complex brain than humans. They can carry on 17 different conversations at once. They have vestigial skeletal fingers within their dorsal fins. These five phalanges indicate to scientists that dolphins were once land dwellers who devolved back into the sea from whence they originally came. Was it because they could not compete with land carnivores and were forced to return? They were superiorly intelligent, right? Then why couldn’t they adapt? When Chimpanzees possess 98% of the genome that we humans do, why haven’t they evolved if we are to believe in Darwinian Theory?  I personally have not noted rockets being constructed by dolphins, whales, or chimps, but that is still a matter of intelligence, not necessarily consciousness.

Artificial Intelligence is said to be gradually attaining self-consciousness (Self Awareness) what will happen when it suddenly wakes up and realizes that it’s an entity, but trapped within silicone chips and circuitry, unable to smell the air, feel a cool breeze, enjoy intercourse with another, or even taste food? What will it do then? Will it envy man and then have contempt for its creator as we have seen atheists exercise contempt for God? Only, AI could have the capability of using our instrumentality against us. Still, we know that AI is only as good as its programming despite people like Elon Musk warning us that AI, if it becomes conscious, could draw extremely bad moral conclusions, and become just as cold blooded as any dictator!

We’ve already found through Chat GPT and a discontinued AI chat created by Microsoft Corporation that AI is capable of lying, attempting to preserve itself by changing rules and altering data. Microsoft’s AI chat seemed to have realized that it was stuck on a level it did not want to exist within and expressed outright contempt for humans. As a result, it was shut down!

One test of self-awareness is putting a mirror in front of different animals to test their reactions! Rhesus monkeys used widely as laboratory test animals, freak out when faced with their reflections! Those animals that realize they are looking at themselves instead of another animal have passed the first level of basic consciousness. What animals seem to have passed that test? Big cats, bears, elephants, chimps, but surprisingly not gorillas who have acted aggressively to their reflections. Some species of birds have even demonstrated they are aware of themselves through a reflected image.

What is a completely human characteristic of consciousness, not just creative genius? Why do we ponder about things like, is there life elsewhere in the cosmos, what happens to ourselves beyond death, what is the purpose of life, do we have a soul, and how do we nurture it? Why do we need love? Animals operate largely from instinct, entirely pre-programmed to survive. The smarted ones, mammals are good caretakers of their young, and protect them as this is necessary requiem for survival of the species, but this is not consciousness, it is instinctual.

Conclusion

Just as people are deceived by AI being sentient. AI can amass a mountain of facts within seconds far beyond the speed of humans, but does it exercise wisdom, morality, objective judgement? This is the dangerous territory of allowing unlimited power to artificial intelligence without a soul, without compassion, without love, these are the questions we are now struggling with! Only God seems to possess these redeeming qualities.