The Mythology of Conscious AI

This chapter investigates whether artificial intelligence can ever truly be conscious, challenging the widely held assumption of computational functionalism. It argues that consciousness is more likely a property of biological life than of silicon-based computation. By distinguishing between intelligence—defined as the ability to achieve complex goals—and consciousness—the subjective experience of “being”—the chapter exposes the psychological biases, such as anthropocentrism and anthropomorphism, that lead society to overattribute mindedness to complex machines. The discussion critiques the metaphor of the brain as hardware and mind as software, highlighting how the deep multiscale integration and metabolic activity of biological “wetware” differ fundamentally from digital computers. Furthermore, the chapter argues that a computational simulation of a brain is no more likely to instantiate consciousness than a simulation of a rainstorm actually makes things wet. Readers will gain a nuanced understanding of the ethical risks associated with creating conscious or conscious-seeming artificial intelligence, ultimately encouraging a shift in focus from the “silicon rapture” of artificial minds towards a deeper appreciation for the unique, embodied nature of human experience.