Michael Pollan on AI might become conscious

Michael Pollan

Journalist; bestselling nonfiction author

Because they’re not going to be conscious, but they’re going to convince us they are.

AI Verified source (2026)

8mo ago

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AI might become conscious

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AI Verified The quote directly addresses whether AI will become conscious, clearly taking the position that they will not be conscious: 'they’re not going to be conscious.' · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 4mo ago

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AI Verified The quote explicitly says "they’re not going to be conscious," which clearly rejects the idea that AI might become conscious. · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 4mo ago

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AI Verified Verified. The Guardian article at the supplied URL contains the exact sentence, presented as Michael Pollan’s direct reply to the interviewer’s question: “Because they’re not going to be conscious, but they’re going to convince us they are.” This appears in the body of the interview at line 201, so the wording and attribution both check out. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/feb/08/michael-pollan-psychedelics-consciousness)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 4mo ago

replying to Michael Pollan