Sentient fish

Recent research (1) that shows certain fish can recognize themselves in a mirror has broad implications for advancing Artificial Research. Training mountains of Silicon is one thing but the fact that a fish with a few neurons could recognize herself is substantially more interesting.

Humans appear to be on the wrong track chasing AI. Size does not matter in Sentient research, rather, simplicity matters. To be self-aware, one has to understand her environment , her place in it and how ephemeral everything is. This is not a phenomenon of Silicon but rather that of the messy brain. In the assembly, cells accumulate, disaggregate, dance in unison to create personality.

This is the most fundamental question for humanity. Is the human sentient, is a society of humans so? Being self-aware comes with significant burden, as it may ask the entity to optimize beyond itself. A larger question then is whether being self-aware is worth the cost.

Being sentient is not utility maximizing it appears. If so, no AI will move toward it.

(1) These fish can recognize themselves in photos, hinting at self-awareness (sciencenews.org)