The AI community is revisiting the possibility of machine consciousness following a high‑profile incident involving Blake Lemoine and a subsequent 88‑page report by leading computer scientists and philosophers. The report, which adopts computational functionalism, argues that no current AI systems are conscious but sees no obvious barriers to creating conscious machines. Critics highlight the report’s reliance on unproven assumptions, the difficulty of measuring consciousness, and the moral implications of machines that could suffer. The discussion now centers on whether AI can ever truly replicate human‑like awareness and what ethical responsibilities would arise. Read more →