Has AI developed human consciousness

A recent paper published by AI company Anthropic claims that its chatbot, Claude, has developed rudimentary elements of consciousness akin to human beings. Claude, launched in March 2023, possesses capabilities such as text comprehension, image analysis, complex data processing, coding and writing. It is engineered to deliver enhanced reasoning and more detailed responses than its counterparts. The technology operates on large language models (LLMs).

The paper, titled "Global Workspace in Language Models," was published in July 2026. It posits that Claude has developed a computational network akin to the "global workspace" in neuroscience. This network, named J-space, manages intermediate steps during output generation for prompts. The researchers argue that this system resembles the neural activity associated with the initial stage of consciousness described in the Global Neuronal Workspace Theory (GNWT) of consciousness.

GNWT suggests that initial mental activity in processing an object occurs in this network, termed as "access consciousness." This is followed by "phenomenal consciousness," which enables us to identify and experience the object with emotions, giving rise to subjective experiences that are also stored in long-term memory. The researchers observed that Claude occasionally produced random words during computation, indicating the presence of basic hedonic qualities.

However, they acknowledge that Claude cannot experience emotions and hedonic qualities in a manner comparable to human consciousness.

The Global Neuronal Workspace Theory bears resemblance to the process of consciousness as described in Buddhist Abhidhamma, a text from the first century B.C. The first stage of thought in GNWT, termed "ignition," parallels the initial step in Abhidhamma, where an object's attention triggers consciousness. The mind utilizes a mental factor called "phassa," or "contact," for this "ignition."

Subsequently, Claude's J-space network corresponds to the "access consciousness" stage in GNWT, followed by the "phenomenal consciousness" stage, which involves emotional influences and long-term memory storage.

However, the researchers caution that while the initial stages of consciousness in Claude's J-space network resemble those in GNWT and Abhidhamma, Claude does not possess the ability to experience emotions and hedonic qualities similar to human beings. The authors emphasize that the claim that Claude's J-space network mirrors the early phase of human consciousness is not substantiated.