Big Tech vs. AI Consciousness Research

Will Millership recently featured on the AI Risk Network podcast to talk about the field of AI consciousness.

In this podcast, Will Millership, CEO of PRISM, argued that society cannot afford to ignore the possibility of AI consciousness.

Will emphasized that while current AI systems are most likely not conscious, the trajectory of development makes the question urgent. He compared it to climate change before the first IPCC report: scientists were warning, but policymakers lacked structured evidence and guidance. PRISM’s long-term goal is to produce an equivalent report for AI consciousness, synthesizing science and offering actionable policy recommendations.

The conversation also highlighted the uncertainty in the field. With over 300 competing theories of consciousness and no agreed-upon definition, tests and benchmarks for AI remain elusive. Yet the stakes are clear: over-attributing consciousness could waste resources, while under-attributing it could create unprecedented moral catastrophes.