Can AI Ever Be Conscious? Machine Phenomenology, Ethics of AI & the Future of Mind

Can AI ever be conscious?

Philosopher and cognitive scientist Professor Susan Schneider joins Tevin to explore one of the most urgent questions in philosophy of mind, AI ethics, neuroscience, and the future of intelligence.

Schneider is the former NASA Chair of Astrobiology & AI, author of Artificial You, and creator of multiple proposed tests for machine consciousness - including ACT (the AI Consciousness Test), Spectral Phi, and The Chip Test.

This conversation dives into:• What consciousness is• Whether large language models could ever have inner experience• Why simulated emotions may be misleading• Quantum Darwinism & the “decoherence dance”• Moral status for artificial minds• The future of AI ethics, agency & existential risk• Why consciousness might be a “dual-use technology”A must-watch episode for anyone interested in consciousness, AI safety, philosophy, neuroscience, or quantum theories of mind.