Background to the IDA Model Stan Franklin and the ‘Conscious’ Software Research Group Machine Consciousness Workshop, Torino, Fall 2003

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino2 IDA: an Intelligent Distribution Agent Detailer Telephone Dialogue with sailors Read personnel data Check job requisition lists Enforce Navy policies Choose jobs to offer members Negotiate with them about jobs Internet I D A

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino3 IDA: a ‘conscious’ software agent Autonomous AgentGW Theory Computational Model Conceptual Model

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino4 Global Workspace Theory A psychological theory of consciousness The nervous system is a distributed parallel system with many different specialized processors Global workspace contains a coalition of processors Broadcasts globally to all other processors Recruit other processors needed for any degree of novel or problematic situation Explains limited capacity and seriality

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino5 Contexts at work

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino6 Why a ‘Conscious’ Agent? Flesh out the theory with detailed architecture and mechanisms Hypotheses for cognitive scientists and neuroscientists Produce flexible, adaptive, human-like software Want smart agents? Model them after humans.

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino7 Modules and Mechanisms Perception—Copycat Architecture—Hofstadter Action Selection—Behavior Net—Maes Episodic Memory—Sparse Distributed Memory—Kanerva Emotions—Pandemonium Theory—Jackson Metacognition—Fuzzy Classifier Systems—Holland Learning—Copycat Architecture, Reinforcement Constraint Satisfaction—Linear Functional Language Generation—Pandemonium Theory Deliberation—Pandemonium Theory ‘Consciousness’ —Pandemonium Theory

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino8 IDA’s Architecture ‘Consciousness’ Perception Metacognition Working Memory Episodic Memory Behavior Net Emotions Database Perception Constraint Satisfaction DeliberationNegotiation Problem Solving Expectation & Automization

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino9 Processing in IDA A continuing iteration of a cognitive cycle of activities involving: Perception Working memory Transient episodic memory Long-term declarative memory ‘Consciousness’ Action selection Motor activity

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino11 Cognitive Cycle Processing Hypothesis— Like IDA’s, human cognitive processing is via a continuing sequence of Cognitive Cycles Duration— Each cognitive cycle takes roughly 200 ms with steps 1 through 5 occupying about 80 ms Overlapping— Several cycles may have parts running simultaneously in parallel Seriality— Consciousness maintains serial order and the illusion of continuity Start— Cycle may start with action selection instead of perception

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino12 Levels of abstraction High level behaviors message type nodes emotions metacognitive actions etc. Low level codelets

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino13 Codelets Small pieces of code each performing a simple, specialized task Many acts as demons, watching for a chance to act Most subserve some high level entity, e.g. behavior slipnet node metacognitive action Some codelets work on their own, e.g. watching for incoming mail checking for time and place conflicts Codelets do almost all the work IDA is a multi-agent system

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino14 Perception via a Slipnet preferenceacceptance information request location San Diego Miami Norfolk Jacksonville... Norfolk norfolk norNRFK

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino15 Coalitions and Consciousness Coalition manager Spotlight manager Broadcast mechanism

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino16 A Behavior Stream Find and move a template Compose an acknowledgment Find an address Drive to Acknowledge From the Sidelines Activation from drive Activation from the environment, external or internal Send an acknowledgement

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino17 Behavior Net in Action Behavior net templates Behavior net Side lines Playing field Stands Working Memory Broadcast

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino18 ‘Consciousness’ in Action Associative Memory Working memory Focus Playing Field Stands Outgoing Message Job List

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino19 Deliberation Faced with a goal or problem Imagine possible plans or solutions Scenarios Routes Internal virtual reality—Dawkins Evaluate them Using reason Using emotions Choose among them

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino20 Deliberation in Action Associative Memory Working memory Focus Playing Field Stands Job List Detach Date Detach Date Detach Date Leave Time Leave Time Leave Time

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino21 Ideomotor Theory William James (circa 1890) Bernard Baars (1988) Voluntary vs non-voluntary action Theory of voluntary action Proposers—propose a course of action Objectors—raise objections to such a course of action Supporters—lend support to such a course of action Auctioneer—wields the gavel

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino22 Ideomotor Theory in Action Idea pops to mind (proposer)—no objection (objector)—do it Objection (objector)—don’t do it Objection then support (supporter)—do it Different proposal—no objection—do it Different proposal—original proposal— no objection—do it Last unopposed proposal is acted upon

September 29, 2003Stan Franklin—Machine Consciousness—Torino23 Web and Addresses Stan Franklin ‘Conscious’ Software Research Group