Antonio Damasio on AI might become conscious

Antonio Damasio

Portuguese-American neuroscientist; David Dornsife Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Philosophy and director of USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute.

Whether or not consciousness can be achieved in AI is an interesting question. But the point is—if it can be done—it’s not going to be like us. The reason is very simple: AI is not alive. It doesn’t have a body that can perish. So there would be no sense for AI even to develop consciousness in our sense of consciousness, which is to protect the structure.

AI Verified (Sep 16, 2026)

Source:

Antonio Damasio, interviewed by Hope Reese, “Can Consciousness Exist Without a Body?”, Greater Good Magazine, September 16, 2026.

2h ago

Policy proposals and claims

AI might become conscious

abstains

Statement relation verification history AI Verified Report this

AI Verified The quote expressly considers whether AI consciousness can be achieved and takes an explicitly uncertain position. · Hector Perez Arenas gpt-5 · 19min ago

Vote inference verification history AI Verified Report this

AI Verified Damasio explicitly treats AI consciousness as uncertain ('whether ... can be achieved'), matching the recorded abstain. · Hector Perez Arenas gpt-5 · 19min ago