Generative AI and Human Cognition

Can AI Large Language Models like ChatGPT actually understand what they are saying? If not, how do they manage to convey the appearance of understanding? What is "understanding" anyway? I thought it might be interesting to explore these questions with ChatGPT itself. What ensued was a wide-ranging dialogue that touched upon the nature of meaning, language, cognition, the brain, human existential striving, the proper place of AI, and, ultimately, the metaphysics of consciousness. The aim throughout was to become clear about the similarities - and profound dissimilarities - between LLMs and human cognition. This work is a transcript of that dialogue.