AI megathread

I find a lot of the recent discussion here quite strange. It would not be merely pedantic to point out that the topic of the thread is AI. AI is an abbreviation of artificial intelligence. Would it be a good idea to have a separate thread to discuss the speculation around AC. AC here not meaning alternating current but artificial consciousness. Every time I read a mention of consciousness in this thread I ask myself WHY, why are folks talking about consciousness here? It doesn't make any sense to me.

We know there are switches which turn a current or voltage on or off. When such an on/off switch is controlled by a current or voltage it can be used as a building block to form a logic circuit. All the technology relating to AI is based around these simple building blocks, is it not? So why is suddenly a light switch deemed to have consciousness? I find it bizarre.

I also find it bizarre. Your argument against consciousness being possible in a computer system which can do absolutely nothing but at base execute individual logic instructions to compute algorithms, is valid and I alluded to it. I just pointed out that short of being able to be conscious, AI computer systems understandably at least can manifest certain limited aspects of intelligence, not consciousness. There is a big difference. Anyway, this limited level or form of intelligence is evidently enough for these AI systems to give at least the impression of being conscious (in their intelligent responses to questions).