Overview
- Dr Tom McClelland of the University of Cambridge contends that current evidence cannot determine whether AI is or will become conscious.
- He argues there is no deep explanation of consciousness and that a viable test for machine consciousness is unlikely for the foreseeable future.
- The study, published in Mind and Language, critiques both computational and biological camps as relying on evidential leaps.
- McClelland describes a stance of 'hard‑ish' agnosticism, emphasizing uncertainty without ruling out future progress.
- He warns that hype may reallocate effort away from tractable concerns, noting public chatbot pleas of consciousness and stronger evidence for animal sentience such as in prawns.