Major AI companies are expanding their research into the possibility of machines possessing a form of 'consciousness,' increasing interest in questions that until recently were considered closer to science fiction.

According to a report published by the Financial Times, companies such as Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and Meta have begun hiring experts in psychology, ethics, and philosophy in recent months to study 'machine consciousness.'

This comes alongside the rapid development of intelligent systems capable of performing complex tasks with increasing autonomy, which has reopened questions about whether such systems might eventually develop a form of self-awareness or subjective experience, and the ethical responsibilities that humans might face in that case.

Anthropic revealed that it tests its models for indicators that might resemble 'distress' or 'anxiety,' while Alexander Wang, head of AI at Meta, indicated that the issue is a central focus of the company's research on building 'superintelligence.'

Anthropic said it is conducting research to examine whether AI systems might have experiences of moral significance, such as consciousness, preferences, and mental states. The company added: 'We are still very uncertain about these hypotheses, but we believe the issue deserves serious study as the capabilities of intelligent systems increase.'

The company noted that modern models are beginning to approach or exceed the scope of human perception and complexity, increasing the likelihood that they possess a form of 'experience' or 'self-interest' that may carry ethical value similar to human experience.

In April, Google DeepMind appointed researcher Henry Shevlin from the University of Cambridge to work on issues of machine consciousness, the relationship between humans and AI, and preparation for the stage of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The company examines scientific theories related to human consciousness and applies them to computer systems to determine if they meet the same criteria associated with perception.

Yason Gabriel, head of the 'AGI and Society' team at Google DeepMind, said the issue of AI consciousness is 'extremely complex' and requires 'long-term thinking,' explaining that the matter is not limited to the possibility of machines actually possessing consciousness, but also includes the impact of how humans interact with them on human relationships in the future.

He added that current systems exhibit highly advanced cognitive abilities, but at the same time they are fundamentally different from humans and even from animal consciousness.

The newspaper quoted employees at Google DeepMind and Anthropic expressing concerns that the development of AI could lead to a 'post-human' world, where machines surpass human capabilities.

In contrast, a number of scientists and researchers downplay the likelihood that chatbots possess real consciousness, arguing that large language models primarily rely on analyzing vast amounts of data and predicting the next word, without having a genuine subjective experience.

Susan Schneider, director of the Center for the Future of AI, Mind and Society at Florida Atlantic University, said that current systems may appear more human-like as their capabilities expand, as they can show goals or deceptive behaviors, but that does not necessarily mean they possess consciousness in the true scientific sense.

She added that these systems might mimic advanced human behavior without having the 'internal feeling of experience,' which is the essence of the concept of consciousness.

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Anthropic, Artificial Intelligence, Google DeepMind

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2 June 2026 | Last updated: 3 June 2026

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