Sheizaf Rafaeli (What to think about machines that think)

Sheizaf Rafaeli explores the concept of thinking machines and emphasizes the crucial role of communication in their development. He notes that thinking machines have often been portrayed as both a looming threat and a moving target in human culture. The field of artificial intelligence has continually redefined its goals as developments in technology expanded the horizon of what is considered “intelligent.”

Rafaeli argues that discussions about thinking machines should not be limited to thinking alone but should encompass communication and interaction. Thinking, in his view, involves not only answering questions but also asking them. True thinking machines, according to Rafaeli, will require qualities like curiosity, creativity, and effective communication.

He envisions a future where machines can engage in meaningful conversations, pose questions, and rephrase them—similar to human interactions. Rafaeli believes that when machines can truly communicate and interact with us, they will have passed the test of thinking.

He anticipates that the acceptance of thinking machines will come when they can autonomously create messages, engage in ongoing relationships, react to external stimuli, and form communities. Ultimately, the ability of machines to think will be closely tied to their capacity for rich, rewarding, and resonating communication and interaction.

Rafaeli suggests that machines that calculate, remember, create, and conjecture are already commonplace, and the next frontier is their ability to engage in human-like communication. He concludes that when machines excel at synthesizing interaction, they will advocate for themselves and usher in a new era of thinking machines.

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