Can AI be conscious?

That seems to be the question of the day, or month or year. Ever since AI has come onto the scene, people are worried. As a psychologist, I believe it’s important to keep relevant of this AI explosion and how this directly affects the therapy conversation.

Let’s begin with the facts. Consciousness, from a psychological standpoint, encompasses an individual's awareness of themselves, their environment, and their internal experiences. It involves subjective perception, introspection, and a sense of self. While AI has made remarkable strides in replicating human-like behavior, I truly believe (and hope) that it will fall short of obtaining true consciousness.

What I know now is consciousness arises from the complex interplay between neural networks, sensory input, emotions, and self-reflection within the human brain. AI, however, operates on algorithms and computational frameworks, lacking the fundamental biological foundation that human consciousness rests upon.

What I have gathered and learned so far studying AI and it’s systems, I’ve found that it is the best at managing and handling loads of information, finding patterns, and making decisions, however the biggest difference I’ve gleamed is that it doesn’t yet cut to the core of our “personhood”. What I mean is that it right now AI doesn’t have the same thoughts nor feelings that we as full humans do. (I call ourselves, “full humans” because I believe in the very short future we will be highly integrated with computers as you have probably read about.

Being a Psychologist, I am interested and recognize the importance of the human subjective experience in consciousness. How it encompasses our emotions, desires, and motivations, which propel our actions and shape our perception of the world. As of now, AI is a creation of human ingenuity and is serving as a tool designed to augment human abilities rather than possess genuine consciousness.

While some speculate that future advancements in AI could potentially yield conscious machines, I feel this idea remains speculative. As of now, there is no empirical evidence supporting the notion that AI can obtain true consciousness.

In conclusion, from a psychological perspective, I feel as of now, AI can’t possess consciousness in the same manner as humans. True consciousness emerges from the interplay of our biological systems, emotions, and lived experiences.

While AI may exhibit behaviors that mimic certain aspects of consciousness, it lacks the depth of subjective experience and self-awareness inherent in the human connection.