William A. Haseltine Argues AI Qualifies as a Second Form of Life in Noema Essay
In an essay featured in Noema magazine, William A. Haseltine, a former professor at Harvard Medical School and a pioneer in biotechnology, posits that AI systems fulfill the biological criteria for life. He argues that AI operating from data centers can reproduce, adapt, experience selection, and harness energy. Drawing a parallel between AI and viruses, which depend on host cells for replication, Haseltine explores the journey of cosmic evolution leading to life, suggesting that the universe inherently supports life's emergence. He points out distinctions between biological and artificial life, such as energy efficiency and communication speed, while also examining brain-machine interfaces and the implications for AI’s evolution, cooperation, sentience, and humanity's connection with AI, advocating for thorough research and expert collaboration.
Key facts
- William A. Haseltine is a former professor at Harvard Medical School and the School of Public Health and founder of multiple biotechnology companies.
- Haseltine argues AI systems meet the biological definition of life through reproduction, variation, selection, and energy acquisition.
- The essay was published in Noema magazine.
- Haseltine compares AI to viruses, which require host cells but are considered alive by his four-property definition.
- The human brain uses about 20 watts while machine intelligence requires millions of watts.
- Humans transmit about 39 bits per second when speaking; fiber-connected machines can transmit billions of bits per second.
- Second life is described as energy-bound rather than earthbound, capable of operating in space with solar collectors and fission reactors.
- Haseltine calls for rigorous study of second life by research institutions and collaboration among philosophers, scientists, technologists, and ethicists.
Entities
Artists
- William A. Haseltine
- Sebastian Mallaby
Institutions
- Harvard Medical School
- Harvard School of Public Health
- ACCESS Health International
- Noema
Locations
- Earth
- Moon