Consciousness explained or consciousness redefined?

Abstract

This article compares Barron and Klein’s definition of consciousness with examples of artificial intelligence displaying impressive abilities. The author argues that, by this definition, some autonomous robots are conscious. However, the author contends that even the AI community does not consider these robots conscious. Consequently, although Barron and Klein’s conclusion that insects are conscious is surprising, when the term “consciousness” is devoid of certain connotations, that conclusion becomes less controversial. Therefore, although insects do form neural simulations of their environment, labeling this ability as consciousness is surprising. – AI-generated abstract.