Leading researchers challenge AI consciousness debate

anil seth, ned block, and giulio tononi, experts in experimental neuroscience, theoretical neurobiology, and philosophy of mind, have published a commentary in nature challenging the notion that ai systems can be conscious. they argue that consciousness is not solely a product of computations, citing the example of the human cerebellum, which performs complex functions without conscious experience. the researchers also reference a report by patrick butlin, robert long, and 17 other experts, which evaluated current ai systems, including large language models like gpt-4, and found no strong candidates for consciousness. the authors suggest that intelligence and consciousness are distinct, with consciousness being a subjective experience that 'feels like something.'