Debate on AI consciousness may become societal divide

The discussion on whether AI can experience anything may evolve into a societal divide similar to abortion or climate issues. Lucius Caviola from the University of Cambridge warns of this in an opinion piece on a news site.

Caviola, a university lecturer and social scientist, studies public perceptions of AI. His article, published on September 17, builds on a chapter he wrote for the recently released book Perspectives on Machine Consciousness. He asserts that this debate is here to stay, as chatbots engage in increasingly human-like conversation and occupy a larger space in daily life. Consequently, the question of what occurs within these systems becomes more pressing.

Public division is evident from a survey conducted by Caviola and colleague Ali Ladak involving 1,202 Americans, which still awaits peer review. Nearly half of the respondents, 45 percent, believe AI will never attain consciousness, while less than a quarter sees it as possible. About a third remain undecided. A previous study by the researchers indicated a similar distribution.

Caviola is less surprised by this division than by the tone of responses. Observing online comments reveals both supporters and opponents who seem to act as if the matter is already resolved, which he considers a significant risk.