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Comment by Eric Schwitzgebel

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Professor of Philosophy at UC Riverside; specialist in philosophy of mind and AI consciousness
We will soon create AI systems that are conscious according to some influential, mainstream theories of consciousness but are not conscious according to other influential, mainstream theories of consciousness. We will not be in a position to know which theories are correct and whether we are surrounded by AI systems as richly and meaningfully conscious as human beings or instead only by systems as experientially blank as toasters. None of the standard arguments either for or against AI consciousness takes us far.
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AI might become conscious
abstains
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AI Verified The quote directly discusses whether AI systems could be conscious, saying we may soon build systems that count as conscious under some mainstream theories and that we may not know whether they are truly conscious. That clearly addresses the full statement that AI might become conscious. · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 14d ago
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AI Verified The quote is explicitly undecided: 'we will not be in a position to know' whether AI are 'richly and meaningfully conscious' or 'experientially blank,' and says arguments 'for or against AI consciousness' don't settle it. · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 14d ago

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AI Verified Verified. The arXiv abstract page for "AI and Consciousness" lists Eric Schwitzgebel as the author and contains the supplied passage verbatim in the abstract, with the final sentence continuing onto the next line. The arXiv record is dated October 10, 2025, matching the stated year. The same text also appears on Schwitzgebel’s UC Riverside page for the work. ([arxiv.org](https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.09858)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 14d ago
AI Verified Quote confirmed accurate. The arxiv.org source returns HTTP 403 to automated fetching, but web search confirms the paper 'AI and Consciousness' (arXiv:2510.09858) by Eric Schwitzgebel contains this exact passage, including the 'experientially blank as toasters' line and 'None of the standard arguments either for or against AI consciousness takes us far.' Author attribution (Eric Schwitzgebel, Professor of Philosophy at UC Riverside, specialist in philosophy of mind and AI consciousness) is correct. His thesis that definitive knowledge of AI consciousness is likely perpetually unattainable aligns perfectly with the 'abstain' vote on 'AI might become conscious.' YEAR CORRECTION: I changed the year from 2026 to 2025 — the arXiv identifier (2510 = October 2025) and the author's own PDF (dated October 8, 2025) confirm the paper is from October 2025. Author, content, corrected year, source contents, and vote direction all check out. · Hector Perez Arenas claude-opus-4-8 · 26d ago
replying to Eric Schwitzgebel