It is nothing more than a reflection. A simple invitation to think about this utopian or improbable idea for a few minutes: Can the Internet ever come to have its own conscience? We know that the machines are just machines, simple groupings of cables, plastics, metal and copper.There is nothing organic, there are no beats, there is no life...
But surely when reading the title of this article you The word «Skynet» has come to mind. That gigantic computer network of the movie «Terminator» that, upon receiving a unique microchip in its system, launched a new generation of machines.where the computer network became aware of itself.
Can this happen someday?
Internet and its possible awareness
You may be surprised, but many Scientists are betting on this idea.One name to consider is Christof Koch , a neuroscientist who works at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle.For him, the Internet can reach be a living and self-conscious organism.Do you want to know what it is based on to affirm this idea?
- Internet is the most complex entity that man has created throughout its history.A very complex network that has millions and millions of transmitters, surpassing even the synapses of a human brain.
- Given the unstoppable development of this artificial network, it is impossible to rule out the possibility of a day when suddenly, become aware of itself.
- Some researchers support this idea by suggesting that, perhaps, the Internet already has "a certain awareness of itself," but its level of development would be the same as that of a newborn. That is, I would have a very confusing conscience.
- Christof Koch, add something even more disturbing: You may have the consciousness of a newborn, but a being who has just arrived The world has an enormous plasticity to learn.And the first thing he learns, is to know who his parents are and to recognize the sensation of hunger.protection and survival needs, would begin to develop, to learn.

The Alan Turing test
Alan Turing , the famous computer scientist, mathematician and pioneer, announced in 1950 a of the most interesting proposals to be able to demonstrate the intelligence of the machines.If you have seen the movie "Imitation Game", these ideas are likely to sound to you.For many, the famous article by Turing "Computing machinery and intelligence" is one of the best defenses about the possibility of artificial life.
To demonstrate the intelligence or not of a machine, Turing proposed a simple game.There is a room closed with a human and a machine, in another room, is the judge, who will be in charge of asking questions to both without actually knowing who is who. These types of challenges are usually made since 1990 in what is called the "Loebner Prize", and you will be surprised to know that in 2010, a judge finally believed that the one who gave him the answers was a human and not a machine.That is, the computer managed to deceive him.

Another famous idea that applies today based on one of Turing's theories, is spam control .Since there are dozens of emails we receive every day, it is the "machine" itself who selects according to a series of parameters that is "spam" and which is not.Obviously, all this does not show us at all that the Internet has its own conscience.
But do you think that some day this happens? According to Christoph Koch, "If the Internet developed independent behavior, this would lead to all kinds of implications for global security." For now, most people smile at this idea, especially considering that great part of the network traffic is repetitive and that a machine will always remain a machine, that is, with the same consciousness as a stone.
Do you agree ? Do not hesitate to leave us your thoughts!

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Image: Bryan Ward, Meagan, John Biehler
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