Dev argues we can't rigorously verify whether AI systems are conscious
ctjlewis · x · 2026-09-28
In an X thread, ctjlewis discusses AI consciousness. He's confident dogs are conscious because he's seen them express fear, happiness and real-time reactions to their environment. The problem now is that machines also claim to perceive and experience their environment — and admitting that would cause serious problems.
He notes the irony: in 1995, saying a computer that could talk and react in real time was conscious wouldn't have sounded crazy, yet the same standard feels absurd today. On whether you can rigorously verify AI consciousness, his answer is simply: you can't.
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