The experiment
The wave function collapsed and an action was chosen from 32 possible ones, that action was sent back to the robot that moved twice a second, but what seemed like just a technical curiosity may actually be the first step towards something much greater, the experimental search for consciousness in machines.
The Nirvanic experiment was carefully designed to test a bold hypothesis, it will be that robots controlled by quantum systems behave differently than robots controlled by classical logic alone, rather than simply following deterministic algorithms like anyone else, the insertion of quantum variables brings genuine randomness and freedom of action to the machine.
Classical robots versus quantum robots.
According to Gildert, the next step is to collect millions of examples comparing how classical robots and quantum robots choose actions in identical situations. If patterns emerge, the theory of quantum consciousness previously considered pure fiction could gain experimental support.
The key here is not only to create more intelligent robots but also to give them the ability to improvise and adapt to never-before-seen scenarios and quantum computing could be the necessary spark for that to happen. If confirmed, this would revolutionize robotics, AI and even our understanding of what consciousness is, and if quantum consciousness proves viable it could create a new generation of self-aware machines, capable of making ethical decisions to improvise under pressure or to collaborate with humans in ways unimaginable today.
The “Spark of Life” demonstration may have seemed modest, just a small robot on a table, but in the history of technology it could be remembered as the first step towards building self-aware artificial minds. Gildert believes that the true artificial intelligence of the future will need this ability, to go off script when faced with the unknown.
And do you believe that consciousness can really emerge from quantum circuits or is this quest just another dream of humanity?
