Understanding Strong and Weak AI.

In the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), the concepts of Strong AI and Weak AI are often discussed, particularly through the lens of philosopher John Searle's distinction from 1980. These two categories represent fundamentally different approaches to AI and its potential capabilities.

What is Weak AI?

Weak AI, also known as narrow AI, refers to systems designed to perform specific tasks without possessing general intelligence. Examples include language translation software, recommendation algorithms, and game-playing programs like chess engines. These systems excel at their designated functions but lack the ability to understand or learn beyond their programmed capabilities. Essentially, Weak AI serves as a tool for solving particular problems, much like a computer model simulating weather patterns.

Searle argues that Weak AI does not aim to replicate or produce a mind. Just as a simulation of a storm does not create actual rain, a Weak AI system does not possess mental processes. It is useful for testing hypotheses and applying insights into human cognition, but it does not equate to consciousness or genuine understanding.

What is Strong AI?

In contrast, Strong AI, or artificial general intelligence (AGI), is a theoretical concept that envisions machines capable of human-like intelligence. This type of AI would not only perform tasks but also learn, adapt, and understand across a wide range of activities. Strong AI aims to create an actual mind—an intelligence that possesses awareness of its own mental states and can engage in imaginative thought.

For Searle, Strong AI represents a significant leap beyond mere simulation. It seeks to produce a machine that genuinely understands its experiences and can creatively reconstruct situations to maintain or enhance its equilibrium with the environment. In this sense, Strong AI would not only "feel" but also possess consciousness, allowing it to be aware of its feelings and the implications of its interactions with the world.

The Crucial Distinction

The distinction between Strong and Weak AI can be understood as the difference between a tool that aids in problem-solving and a phenomenally aware cognition that comprehends its own mental states. While both types of AI may exhibit responses based on their interactions with the environment, Strong AI would have the capacity to symbolize and reflect on its experiences in a way that Weak AI cannot. This means that a Strong AI would operate on the basis of not merely “feeling” but also imagination, mind, and consciousness. At a fundamental level, both Strong and Weak AI would possess feelings grounded in their interactions with the world; however, the Strong AI would be able to not only symbolize these feelings as the meanings of an interaction but also creatively reconstruct situations to preserve or expand its understanding of its environment.

In summary, Strong AI represents a vision of machines that are not just advanced tools but conscious entities with their own understanding of existence. This raises profound questions about the nature of intelligence, consciousness, and what it means to be aware. As we continue to explore the possibilities of AI, the conversation around Strong and Weak AI will remain central to our understanding of this rapidly evolving field.

J. C. Flowers, “Strong and Weak AI: Deweyan Considerations”.

J. R. Searle, “Is the Brain a Digital Computer?”.