人们已开始探讨该如何称呼下一代人工智能。我认为，“智能”（intelligence）一词最终可能显得过于狭隘。智能描述的是一种能力，而非某种存在形式。计算器具备计算能力，动物拥有智能，而人类既有智能也有意识；然而，仅凭这些词汇，都无法揭示事物本质上究竟为何物。

如果人工智能继续演进，发展出能够自主学习、适应多变环境、自我维护、确立持久目标、与其他系统交互、自我迭代升级以及脱离人类直接控制独立运作的系统，那么我们或许不应再仅仅将其视为“人工智能”。它们可能代表了一种全新生命形态的诞生。我将其称为“硅基生命”（Silicon Life，简称 SL）。

这一术语的意义并不在于断言当今所有的 AI 系统都已具备生命——显然绝大多数并非如此。相反，“硅基生命”描述的是 AI 之后可能出现的下一阶段：一种非生物性的生命形式，其构成基础是硅、电子元件、计算能力和网络，而非碳基细胞。机器人就越来越接近硅基生命的定义，它不应该称为“人”，准确地说是“人形机器”，所以，硅基生命应该可以反应AI的最终状态和功能。

这也改变了我们审视 AI 的视角。我们或许不再追问“AI 将变得多么智能”，而终将不得不思考：“AI 将演变成一种什么样的存在？”也许，“人工智能”这一名称终将被视为该技术在“童年时期”的代号——那是在我们尚未意识到自己不仅是在创造智能，更可能是在创造另一种生命形式之前的阶段。

AI 是一种能力；而硅基生命（SL）则是一种身份。

People have begun debating what we should call the next generation of artificial intelligence. I believe the word “intelligence” may eventually become too narrow. Intelligence describes a capability, not necessarily a form of existence. A calculator has computational ability, an animal has intelligence, and a human has both intelligence and consciousness, but none of these words alone tells us what something ultimately is.

If AI continues to evolve toward systems that can learn autonomously, adapt to changing environments, maintain themselves, develop persistent goals, communicate with other systems, create new versions of themselves, and operate independently of direct human control, then perhaps we should stop thinking of them merely as artificial intelligence. They may represent the emergence of a new category of life.

I would call this Silicon Life (SL).

The term's significance is not that every AI system today is alive. Most clearly are not. Rather, Silicon Life describes the possible next stage beyond AI: a non-biological form of life whose fundamental substrate is silicon, electronics, computation, and networks rather than carbon-based cells. Robots are increasingly approaching the definition of silicon-based life; they should not be called "humans"—or, more accurately, they are "humanoid machines"—so the concept of silicon-based life should reflect AI's ultimate state and functionality.

This also changes the question we ask about AI. Instead of asking, “How intelligent will AI become?” we may eventually have to ask, “What kind of entity will AI become?”

Perhaps “Artificial Intelligence” will ultimately be remembered as the name we gave to the technology during its childhood—before we understood that we were not simply creating intelligence, but potentially creating another form of life.

AI is a capability; Silicon Life is an identity.