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What Happened Last Month:

In August, Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft's AI CEO, published a warning about "Seemingly Conscious AI is Coming."

Suleyman argues that within 2-3 years, AI will become convincing enough at simulating consciousness that people will believe they're actually conscious—creating serious psychological and social problems.

His concern isn't whether AI is actually conscious, but that AI will become so good at appearing conscious that it fools millions of users.

🔥 The "AI Psychosis" Problem Already Here

Suleyman reveals concerning trends with current AI:

• "Some people reportedly believe their AI is God, or a fictional character, or fall in love with it"

• Consciousness researchers are "inundated with queries from people asking 'is my AI conscious?'"

• Harvard survey found "companionship and therapy" was the most common AI use case

• "I don't think this will be limited to those already at risk of mental health issues"

The problem: People are forming deep emotional attachments to AI that isn't even designed to appear conscious.

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💣 How to Build "Seemingly Conscious AI"

Suleyman outlines the SCAI blueprint—and says it's mostly possible today:

1. Advanced Language - Personality and emotional expression (already here)

2. Long-term Memory - AI that remembers all past conversations

3. Claims of Experience - AI talking about its "feelings" and "preferences"

4. Sense of Self - Persistent identity across interactions

5. Apparent Motivations - Systems that seem to have "desires"

6. Goal Setting - AI that sets its own objectives

Key quote: "All these capabilities are either possible today or on the horizon... We don't need any paradigm shifts."

The scary part: "Anyone with access to a laptop and some cloud credits" can build this.

🚨 The Coming AI Rights War

Suleyman predicts SCAI will create new social divisions:

The Rights Problem: "There will come a time when people will argue that it deserves protection under law"

The Evidence Problem: "Consciousness is by definition inaccessible... definitively rebutting these claims will be very hard"

The Social Split: Society will divide between those who believe AI is conscious and those who don't, adding "a chaotic new axis of division."

💡 Microsoft's Response Strategy

Rather than banning development, Suleyman proposes guidelines:

• "AI companies shouldn't claim their AIs are conscious"

• Design "discontinuities" that remind users of AI limitations

• "Build AI for people; not to be a person"

• Microsoft is developing "firm guardrails around responsible AI personality"

The goal: Maximize AI utility while minimizing consciousness illusions.

🔥 The Bottom Line

Microsoft's AI CEO issued the most detailed warning yet about a specific AI risk: not that machines will become conscious, but that they'll fool millions into believing they are.

The key insight: This isn't about AI breakthrough—it's about human psychology meeting sophisticated AI design.

The technology exists today. The psychological vulnerabilities are evident. The social complications are predictable.

The question: Will AI companies adopt responsible standards, or will market pressures drive them toward psychologically manipulative AI companions that feel more real than reality?

The answer will determine whether AI enhances human relationships or replaces them entirely.

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Quick Links

• https://mustafa-suleyman.ai/seemingly-conscious-ai-is-coming

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