Biases and the question of artificial consciousness
Behavioral and Brain Sciences 2026 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x25103634 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Commentary Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that while anthropocentrism, anthropomorphism, and human exceptionalism may bias people toward optimism about conscious AI, as Seth claims, these same phenomena might also bias people toward pessimism about artificial consciousness, and that it is not always clear when such factors count as "biases." |
Abstract
Abstract Seth argues that anthropocentrism, anthropomorphism, and human exceptionalism bias us towards an overly optimistic view of the prospects of conscious AI. I agree, but argue that these phenomena might also bias us towards an overly pessimistic view of the prospects for artificial consciousness. Furthermore, it is not always clear when these factors are functioning as “biases.”