A field guide to AI positions

AI consciousness & sentience

Open research question.

Source is over 18 months old.

Publication dates and source age

Sources counted: 1

Newest dated source: 2023-08-17

Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

Open in the glossary Reading notes · Structured record

Prepared with AI assistance. Not independently fact-checked. Original sources and qualifications are below.

In plain language

Whether an AI could have subjective experience, such as feeling something, rather than only describing it. [1]

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Explanation based on the linked sources. Claim ID: claim-term-ai-consciousness-1a5192ba3d7825ca26b24a72. Edition 0.20.0.

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Limits & distinctions

Human-like speech is not a sufficient test. 'Sentience' is used differently across discussions, so check whether the speaker means experience, sensation or something else. [1]

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Explanation based on the linked sources. Claim ID: claim-term-ai-consciousness-09422ce4d5c74cb753a9bb98. Edition 0.20.0.

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A fuller explanation

Researchers disagree about how consciousness should be assessed. One proposed approach examines internal features suggested by scientific theories, while acknowledging disputed assumptions and uncertain conclusions. [1]

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Explanation based on the linked sources. Claim ID: claim-term-ai-consciousness-1e4c26398ee834b2e16dc7b8. Edition 0.20.0.

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How it relates to the map

Consciousness, capability and risk are separate questions; one answer does not settle the others. [1]

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Editorial interpretation or qualification. Claim ID: claim-term-ai-consciousness-25f52a21ad9f2e54a62ed1b2. Edition 0.20.0.

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https://theaiatlas.org/ideas/ai-consciousness/

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Sources and what we read

  1. 1. Consciousness in Artificial Intelligence: Insights from the Science of Consciousness

    Patrick Butlin and coauthors / arXiv · First-hand source · Published 2023-08-17 · Updated 2023-08-22 · Material last read 2026-09-15

    Source is over 18 months old.

    Publication dates and source age

    Sources counted: 1

    Newest dated source: 2023-08-17

    Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

    Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

    Read scope is described in the source note.

    No archive check recorded.

    Read abstract, executive summary and sections 1.1–1.2, including disputed working assumptions and limits of behavior-based assessment. Version dates checked on arXiv. A proposed framework, not a consciousness test or a 2026 assessment of all models.

    Source ID: ai-consciousness-indicators

Edition and machine-readable evidence

Content version 0.20.0. Evidence cutoff 2026-09-15; this does not mean every source was read on that day.

Pinned complete dataset · Complete evidence page · Agent consumption guide