Lex Fridman on AI might become conscious

Lex Fridman

Podcaster and AI researcher

I believe AI can be conscious. [...] first of all, I am conscious. Second of all, display capability of suffering.

AI Verified source (Mar 25, 2023)

7mo ago

Policy proposals and claims

AI might become conscious

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AI Verified The quote directly states a supportive position on the full claim: 'I believe AI can be conscious.' That clearly implies the author thinks AI might become conscious. · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 3mo ago

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AI Verified The quote explicitly says, "I believe AI can be conscious," which clearly supports the possibility that AI might become conscious. · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 3mo ago

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AI Verified The quote is authentic as given with an allowable omission: the provided PodScript URL contains Lex Fridman’s line at 01:08:31, “I believe AI can be conscious ... first of all, I am conscious. Second of all, display capability of suffering ...,” and it is explicitly labeled as spoken by Lex Fridman. The PodScript page is dated March 25, 2023, and Lex Fridman’s official episode page for podcast #367 is also dated March 25, 2023. PodScript notes its transcript is AI-generated, but independent transcript mirrors reproduce the same wording and attribution. ([podscript.ai](https://podscript.ai/podcasts/lex-fridman-podcast/367-sam-altman-openai-ceo-on-gpt-4-chatgpt-and-the-future-of-ai/)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 3mo ago

Disputed Disputed: the source URL does contain the exact wording around 1:04:30-1:04:50, but it is an unlabeled transcript. Two speaker-labeled transcripts of the same episode attribute "I believe AI can be conscious" and "First of all, I am conscious. Second of all, display capability of suffering" to Lex Fridman, not Sam Altman; Altman’s nearby lines are different, including "I think no" about GPT-4 being conscious and later "I’m certainly willing to believe..." about consciousness as a substrate. ([auphonic.com](https://auphonic.com/media/blog/LexFridmanPodcast367-transcript.html)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 3mo ago

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Lex Fridman votes For

Build artificial general intelligence

I think we can all agree already now that we should aspire to build AGI that doesn't overpower us, but that empowers us. And think of the many various ways that can do that, whether that's from my side of the world of autonomous vehicles. I'm persona...

more AI Verified source (Apr 19, 2018)