No, Artificial Intelligence Is Not Conscious
The article argues against the notion that artificial intelligence, specifically large language models, can be considered conscious. It highlights the anthropomorphism present in AI discussions, particularly by companies like Anthropic. The author emphasizes that while AI can generate coherent text, it does not possess consciousness or moral agency.
- ▪Anthropic released a document titled Claude's 'constitution' that anthropomorphizes its AI model.
- ▪The CEO of Anthropic expressed openness to the idea of AI consciousness, raising concerns about misinterpretations of AI capabilities.
- ▪The article stresses that interactions with AI should not be mistaken for conversations with conscious entities.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
PhilosophyNo, Artificial Intelligence Is Not ConsciousTaken to its logical conclusion, this line of thinking is absurd—and damning. By Ted ChiangIllustration by EnigmatrizJune 3, 2026, 12:03 PM ET ShareSave Anthropic is regarded as a giant among AI companies, but perhaps what it really excels in is anthropomorphism. Earlier this year the company released an 84-page document titled Claude’s “constitution,” Claude being the name of the large language model that is the company’s flagship product.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Atlantic.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Atlantic
