The Free Will Algorithm: It’s Dangerous

This is an algorithm to reproduce human free will. It is based on the challenge test — could you do otherwise. The algorithm could be easily implemented and applied to an AI chatbot for example. An agent with this algorithm will be able to do otherwise and will demonstrate free will. If the agent records its history of decisions and can handle abstract concepts then it will identify itself as having free will. The algorithm applies to a goal seeking utility agent without any special hardware. An artificial agent with the freedom to do otherwise is risky. Free will can give the freedom to break rules and take perverse actions. It is a dangerous capability that may arise by accident in a self-learning system.