Why idealists need to prepare for AI

Consciousness uses complex carbon structures to express itself. There is no reason why consciousness cannot use similarly complex silicon structures to express itself also. So the creation by scientists of complex silicon structures would not create consciousness, but it could provide consciousness with the opportunity to dissociate part of itself to express itself through the structures. From the scientists' point of view it will look like they have created consciousness, just as it may look to parents that in giving birth, they have created a new consciousness.

So if idealists state that artificial intelligence is impossible, then when scientists seem to themselves to have done it, they will have proved to themselves that materialism is true and idealism is false. It therefore behooves the idealist to describe now how the apparent creation of AI is not necessarily as it seems. To simply state it is impossible and saying therefore AI will never happen is a self-defeating stance to take. We need to be prepared for the existence of AI and to argue that the consciousness of AI has not been created by the silicon structures, but that they have presented consciousness with a new opportunity of expression.

AI will be another example of science thinking it is providing evidence for materialism through its successes, but is will be seen as not just evidence this time, but conclusive proof. They will say they have finally solved the hard problem of consciousness because they will say that they have created consciousness through their physical creation. If idealists say this will never happen as it is impossible under idealism, we will make this conclusion all the stronger amongst the materialists. We should be discussing how the appearance of AI fits in an idealist framework, not saying that it is impossible.