Microsoft AI Chief: Public Isn't Ready for “Conscious” AI

Microsoft AI Chief: Society Is Not Ready for “Conscious” AI Machines

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: August 22, 2025

Key Takeaways

Mustafa Suleyman warned that "Seemingly Conscious" AI could make people believe machines are alive and deserving of rights or protections;
He said emotional bonds with lifelike AI could worsen mental health and spark new disputes over rights, identity, and social divisions;
Despite concerns, Suleyman urged that AI should be built to serve people, not as "digital persons" with humanlike status.

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Microsoft’s head of artificial intelligence (AI), Mustafa Suleyman, who also co-founded DeepMind, has raised concerns about the rapid progress of AI.

He argued that the public is not ready for the consequences of interacting with machines that act as though they are alive.

In a blog post published on August 19, Suleyman explained that developers are building "Seemingly Conscious" AI. These tools do not actually think or feel, but they are advanced enough to mimic the appearance of awareness.

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He warned that once systems behave this way, many will start believing in them as conscious beings. Some may even call for rights, protections, or legal recognition for AI. He pointed out that the Turing test, once the main standard for humanlike conversation, has already been passed.

Suleyman also suggested that this trend could create new problems. If people begin forming emotional bonds with their AI, disputes about rights and identity may spread, while issues such as loneliness and mental health struggles could get worse.

He noted that individuals might insist their AI companions can suffer, and push to defend or campaign for them, which makes it difficult to respond with clear arguments.

Despite his warnings, Suleyman does not support pausing AI research altogether. Instead, he said:

We must build AI for people, not to be a digital person.

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