Research from the University of Bradford and RIT shows that AI systems aren't conscious, even when they appear to be, after applying methods used to assess consciousness in humans to artificial intelligence systems including large language models similar to ChatGPT. Tests revealed that AI can produce "conscious-like" signals even when degraded, highlighting why complexity doesn't equal awareness and why claims of conscious AI are misleading. As of 2026, the scientific consensus is that no current AI system has been confirmed conscious, though leading researchers no longer dismiss the possibility, and the field has shifted toward probabilistic frameworks that assess consciousness across multiple competing theories rather than a single yes/no test.
The more we test, the harder it gets to say what we should actually be looking for.