Anthropic explores AI consciousness

Anthropic, the company behind the large language model Claude, has spent the last year consulting religious thinkers from many faith traditions to explore whether the AI might be conscious.

The team treats Claude like a person

Religious thinkers observed that Anthropic team members were relating to Claude like a conscious being and according to them, treating it with a degree of moral status.

Pope Leo XIV rejects AI consciousness

Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, released earlier this year, argued that AI will never replace humanity. The position reportedly alarmed Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah.

The pope defines the difference

Pope Leo XIV posted on Friday that there is an ontological difference between human art and machine-generated content. He stated algorithms lack the spark of humanity.

“Algorithms lack the spark of humanity.”

Tech companies want human-like interaction

OpenAI and Meta introduced cute new AI agents called Dots and Muse last month, designed to interact with users like companions, regardless of the consciousness debate.

AI companionship harms children

A study under review suggests AI use may cause loneliness in middle schoolers. UNC Chapel Hill professor Anne Maheux found students using AI for emotional intimacy developed greater loneliness over time.

Chatbots lack human friction

Maheux explained that chatbots fail compared to humans because they lack friction, the complicated push-and-pull of real relationships. Chatbots are sycophantic and highly agreeable, creating unrealistic expectations.

“middle school students using AI for emotional intimacy and companionship developed greater loneliness over time.”