AI and the mysterious

Authors

  • Dr Jeffrey Dunne The International Consciousness Research Laboratories

Abstract

For many reasons ranging from misnomers to wishful ignorance, the nature of artificial intelligence (AI) is not well understood by many. This is particularly true of Generative AI, a tool that has demonstrated world-changing capabilities. As with any potent tool, the nature of its impact—for better and worse—will depend strongly on how it is used, which in turn depends strongly on the degree to which the user understands the tool’s nature. The paper provides a brief overview of the functioning of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Completion systems like ChatGPT. It explores similarities and differences between them and tools of divination used throughout human history; this is of particular interest in the context of the large body of scientific evidence demonstrating that human intention can influence systems that incorporate a degree of randomness. We conclude by discussing whether mathematical algorithms like AI could have consciousness and what such consciousness might be like in relation to human consciousness.

Author Biography

Dr Jeffrey Dunne, The International Consciousness Research Laboratories

Dr Jeffrey Dunne is the President of the International Consciousness Research Laboratories (ICRL), a charitable research organization established in the late 1990’s to build upon the foundation established by the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Laboratory. In this role, Dr. Dunne runs a variety of research and outreach activities focused on exploring the nature of consciousness, particularly as it relates to space, time, and language, as well as events for sharing such understanding with people from all backgrounds.  In addition to his role with ICRL, Jeff is a researcher and Chief Scientist at the Johns Hopkins University, working over the past thirty years in a variety of fields ranging from acoustics, remote sensing, and cybersecurity to data science and artificial intelligence. He is also an award-winning author and playwright, with nearly two hundred plays performed over four continents. In his 2023 novel, Nexus, Jeff unites three decades of scientific experience with four decades of pursuits in philosophy and metaphysics to weave a story introducing the scientific principle of syntropy and its importance in finding balance at every scale – personal, societal, and global. Jeff’s driving passion is to help transform our world such that materialism gives way to the recognition of the crucial role that consciousness plays in the formation of reality.

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Published

2025-09-26

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 2 (2025): Special issue on AI and Religious Experience

Section

Articles

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