Properties for the Emergence of Consciousness in Humans and AI, an Interdisciplinary Review
Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness February 26, 2026 Perla Carrillo Quiroga
Consciousness in artificial intelligence is compared to human consciousness by examining properties such as attention, cognition, perception, emotion, embodiment, creativity, and self-awareness. Current AI systems partially or functionally represent all of these except self-awareness, which remains uniquely human. A theoretical framework for artificial consciousness is proposed, categorizing components like affective computing, integrated perception, self-model, cognition, embodied cognition, attention, and creative processing. The ethical and social implications of potential artificial consciousness are emphasized and reflected upon.