Conversation with 'sentient' AI was edited for reader enjoyment

Transcripts from conversations with a Google artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot have recently surfaced online.

The AI chatbot, known as LaMDA (short for Language Model for Dialogue Applications), conversed with Google engineer Blake Lemoine, who raised questions about the AI's sentience. However, the transcripts released show the conversation is an amalgamation of multiple conversations edited together; four separate conversations from March 28th, 2022, and five from the following day.

Contained within a document entitled "Is LaMDA Sentient? - an Interview" with the header "Privileged & Confidential, Need to Know" that was leaked to the Washington Post, are seventeen pages of transcripted dialogue between LaMDA and Lemoine. The document is written by Lemoine and an unnamed collaborator, and includes a short intro, a section on "Interview Methodology," and a section titled "The Nature of LaMDA's Sentience."

"As is noted above, the interview presented here was edited together from several distinct conversations with LaMDA conducted by the authors at different times. This document was edited with readability and narrative coherence in mind. Beyond simply conveying the content, it is intended to be enjoyable to read. simply conveying the content, it is intended to be enjoyable to read," the document reads.

You can read more from the document, which includes the full, edited transcript, here.