Could a Large Language Model be Conscious?

Understand

There has recently been widespread discussion of whether large language models might be sentient.

• Should we take this idea seriously? I will break down the strongest reasons for and against.
• Given mainstream assumptions in the science of consciousness, there are significant obstacles to consciousness in current models: for example, their lack of recurrent processing, a global workspace, and unified agency.
• At the same time, it is quite possible that these obstacles will be overcome in the next decade or so.