AI Jargon Buster
AI news and the language around it, simplified.
What is Artificial Consciousness?
Artificial Consciousness is the theoretical goal of building a machine that possesses a subjective experience, feelings, or a self-aware mind. While current software can simulate human-like conversation or solve complex problems, it does not actually feel or experience the world. This field explores whether it is possible for non-biological systems to have an internal life or awareness similar to humans. It remains a major topic in philosophy and advanced computer science research, sitting at the intersection of technology and the study of the human mind.
Why this matters to you
It marks the boundary between using software as a tool and interacting with a synthetic entity. If a machine were truly conscious, it would raise profound ethical questions about our responsibilities toward that system, how we treat it, and what rights it might deserve in a workplace or society.
How you might hear this
Researchers are still far from achieving artificial consciousness, as we do not even have a complete scientific definition of human consciousness to use as a blueprint.
AI Jargon Buster
Search any AI term, explained in plain English.
Type a term below and search. You will be taken straight to the tool.
Related terms
See how your CV performs against the ATS algorithms that screen candidates before a human ever reads your application.
Try the CV Optimiser →How AI job displacement actually works, what it means for your career, and what to do about it. Written by someone who has been in recruitment for 25 years.
When the Ground Shifts →