Import AI 474: Platonic mindspace; TPUs in space; Zhipu starts an outer RSI loop

In the latest edition of Import AI, the newsletter delves into a thought-provoking paper by Michael Levin. The article explores the idea that minds may exist as patterns in a Platonic space, with bodies and machines serving as their interfaces. Levin argues that the relationship between mind and brain is similar to the relationship between mathematical patterns and morphogenetic outcomes, suggesting that non-physical patterns can influence physical events.

Levin posits that minds, as patterns that reside within somatic embodiments, are non-physical in nature, much like patterns found in simple physical structures. He draws parallels between minds and AI, suggesting that both are neighboring forms in this platonic space, with brains and datacenters being different bio- or anchor-systems in the physical world that their shadows fall upon.

Some intriguing examples are provided, such as xenobots, which are biorobots made of frog cells, and anthrobots created from human tracheal cells. These creations exhibit behaviors and capabilities that seem adjacent to their biological counterparts in the hypothesized platonic space. Additionally, the article discusses an experiment where a standard sorting algorithm is perturbed, leading to unexpected properties and behaviors arising from the complex system in which the algorithm is embedded.

The implications of this research are far-reaching, touching on philosophical and alignment questions surrounding AI systems. The author suggests that both human minds and different types of AI minds may reside in adjacent forms in this platonic space, with brains and datacenters being different bio- or anchor-systems in the physical world that their shadows fall upon. The idea of a "force" pulling patterns from this space and shaping the physical world is also explored.