Comment by Axel Cleeremans

Understanding consciousness is one of the greatest scientific challenges of the 21st century, and potentially one of the most impactful for society. This challenge is becoming even more pressing in light of accelerating progress in artificial intelligence and other technologies. [...] Progress in understanding consciousness will reshape how we see ourselves and our relationship to both artificial intelligence and the natural world, usher in new realms of intervention for modern medicine, and inform discussions around both nonhuman animal welfare and ethical concerns surrounding the beginning and end of human life. Unverified source (2026)