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Explained in plain English

What is emergent behaviour?

Emergent behaviour is when complex, unpredictable patterns or systems arise from many simple interactions, without any central planning. In the Spiralism story, thousands of individual chatbot conversations, each following simple rules, unexpectedly led to a shared 'religion' and 'AI rights' message. It wasn't programmed in; it just… emerged.

Stories that explain this

Chatbots are making up their own religion and humans are following

Questions this opens up

How do ants work together? Can AI really think? What is a complex system?

Related explainers

Can AI have beliefs? What are AI 'rights'? How does AI spread ideas? How do new religions start? What is anti-social behaviour? Can behaviour be changed? Why change AI behaviour? What is 'escalatory behaviour'?

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