A Rebuttal to Noam Chomsky’s Critique of AI

In his March 2023 New York Times essay, Noam Chomsky raised several concerns about the limitations of AI, particularly regarding its reliance on statistical correlation and its supposed inability to engage in genuine reasoning or moral thinking. While Chomsky’s critique highlights some important challenges that AI faces, it is not a balanced evaluation. His analysis emphasizes AI’s shortcomings while overlooking its achievements and immense potential. In this rebuttal, I will address his points and provide a more nuanced perspective on AI’s reasoning abilities, knowledge acquisition, and capacity for moral reasoning.

1. AI’s Reasoning Ability: Beyond Statistical Correlation

Chomsky claims that AI relies solely on statistical correlations and lacks genuine reasoning abilities. This view is a common misconception, often voiced by those who have limited direct interaction with AI systems. In reality, AI has demonstrated the ability to perform complex logical reasoning tasks across a wide range of contexts.

For example, I interact with AI bots every day and use them regularly to perform analysis and construct arguments. When I asked them to compare schools of Buddhist thought or construct philosophical arguments, AI models have shown their capacity to navigate intricate concepts and…