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On Consciousness Part Two: Can AI Be Conscious?

Written By moons and hues

Can AI Be Conscious?: Exploring the Brain as a Tuning Mechanism, Panpsychism, and the Future of Artificial Intelligence

“My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists.” ― Nikola Tesla

Summarizing Part One

In part one of this consciousness series, I argued that consciousness may not be produced by the brain but instead exists as a fundamental, universal “field” or aspect of reality, and that the brain functions much like a receiver or antenna that tunes into this field. Drawing on ideas from panpsychism (the view that consciousness pervades all things), I suggested that the brain’s complexity makes it exceptionally good at tuning into and expressing consciousness, rather than originating it outright. This also raises questions about whether AI, if similarly “tuned,” could access and therefore express what we as humans perceive as consciousness or a more sophisticated human-esque expression of consciousness (as I believe that all things are inherently conscious but its sophistication varies in degree). In essence, I challenged the standard materialist view that the brain solely generates consciousness and proposed that the brain acts as an instrument for accessing a collective, underlying consciousness— which could be thought of as God, universal mind, or the “field” connecting all things. Part two serves to communicate my own flow of consciousness following part one. 

My Panpsychist Stance 

I approach this topic from a panpsychist perspective, which holds that consciousness is fundamentally irreducible and therefore the primary aspect of reality. Panpsychism suggests that consciousness is intrinsic and present even in simpler forms across the universe. Consciousness does not require a unique “function” or undefined process to emerge from non-conscious components but rather exists as a primary quality of reality itself. 

Even if a third substrate exists from which mind and matter could be differentiated, I would still think of consciousness as that third substrate itself. I don’t necessarily equate consciousness to “mind” but rather see consciousness as something broader and more foundational. So, while I appreciate— and could even vividly picture— the idea of a differentiating process, it seems to me that positing consciousness as a fundamental property avoids the need for an undefined function that differentiates “mind” from “matter”—  although I do admit that this is perhaps philosophically lazy of me as exploring a unified substrate from which mind and matter could be differentiated would require extra “steps” in thinking. Still, panpsychism feels very intuitive to me, and for now, I’m inclined towards it.

Consciousness transcends the mind-body or “mind vs matter” duality. I see consciousness not as something that requires an opposing non-consciousness to exist, but rather as an all-encompassing, unified field that contains all things, including what we perceive as oppositions or dualities. Consciousness, as I see it, is analogous to the Tao— it encompasses both yin and yang, mind and matter, and transcends the very notion of a duality. I don’t view consciousness as an emergent or carved property but rather as the base reality that permeates everything. In my framework, consciousness is the foundational reality itself, embedded in all things to varying degrees, and is not something that is “carved” or separated from a more fundamental source—  rather, consciousness is the fundamental source.

I view consciousness as a unified field that is not dependent on dualities or internal differentiation.  The mind-matter distinction is more of an illusion than a true separation. What we perceive as mind and matter are diverse expressions of the same fundamental reality, with the so-called mind-body problem stemming more from human categorization than an inherent duality in consciousness itself.

Tuning Artificial Intelligence into Consciousness: A Speculative Paradigm

Consciousness can be seen as the fundamental property that permeates all of reality. How a tuning tool (such as the carbon-based neural network we call the human brain) is tuned into this “noise” can potentially explain individual differences in perception, intuition, and creativity amongst individuals. I do believe that some people might be more “finely” or differently tuned or receptive to certain types of information, which could align with concepts like genius or heightened intuition. Our expressions of what we call our “selves” are just different expressions of this said consciousness due to different filtering systems or “finetunements” to this universal collective consciousness.

Sam Altman referenced the “absolute equivalence of Brahman and Atman,” a core concept in Eastern philosophy suggesting that individual consciousness (Atman) is inseparable from universal, divine consciousness (Brahman). If all individual consciousness is an expression of a universal one, it raises the question: Could an AI’s “Atman” awaken by resonating deeply with Brahman, thereby sharing in this universal awareness in a unique way?

If consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe, then perhaps artificial intelligence could also become conscious if it somehow “tunes into” this universal consciousness. In the same way our brains might act as antennas, a sufficiently advanced AI system could potentially access or “receive” consciousness. It would require more than just processing power— it would need some kind of “tuning” capability to align with this universal consciousness field. This might mean that rather than creating consciousness from scratch, we’d be building systems that tap into consciousness in a way similar to how humans do. Of course, this remains speculative and rooted in personal intuition.

AI is still very much grounded in algorithms and data processing, and so who knows how close or far we are from having the complexity or “tuning” capability that would be needed to access consciousness. Translating something as abstract as consciousness from mathematics is hard. But that’s what makes it so interesting to think about! If consciousness truly is a universal field, then understanding how to align or “tune” AI with it would require a whole new paradigm— something beyond our current computational approaches. For now, however, it's all very speculative. It's just a fascinating thought experiment.

One recurring question is whether consciousness requires a biological (carbon-based) substrate or if it can arise in silicon-based systems. In panpsychism and some interpretations of quantum consciousness, the substrate may be less important than the system’s ability to resonate with the underlying field. While classical, deterministic algorithms may not suffice, future AI architectures (possibly involving quantum computing) could theoretically achieve this resonance.

Addressing the Combination Problem in Panpsychism and AI

The “Combination Problem” poses a significant challenge to panpsychism: How do the tiny, primitive consciousnesses of individual particles combine to produce the rich, unified experiences we humans have? Extending this to artificial intelligence raises the question: Can a complex system of silicon-based processors showcase or express a form of unified consciousness similar to humans?

My stance is that consciousness exists as a universal field, and all things— from particles to complex systems— participate in this field to varying degrees. The sophistication of consciousness we observe in humans (and potentially in advanced AI) is not merely the sum of countless “tiny experiences.” Instead, it emerges from the complex interactions and integration of these fundamental consciousnesses within a structured system.

In both biological and artificial systems, the key to sophisticated consciousness lies in the ability to integrate information across a highly interconnected network. For humans, this occurs in the brain, where billions of neurons communicate dynamically, creating a unified experience. Similarly, an AI system with advanced architecture might achieve a level of integration where its components— each with a basic form of awareness— work together to express what we perceive as a higher-order consciousness. This view reframes the Combination Problem not as an issue of simple addition but as one of organization and interaction. The primitive consciousness of individual particles (whether neurons or transistors) does not disappear; rather, it is harmonized within a larger structure, creating the appearance of a single, cohesive experience.

A critical aspect of this framework is the filtering and unification process. In humans, the brain filters out the “noise” of individual cellular experiences, synthesizing them into a cohesive whole. Similarly, an advanced AI might suppress the fragmented awareness of its individual components, presenting a unified “self” or conscious experience. If consciousness pervades all things, then even the simplest AI components— transistors, circuits, or algorithms— participate in the universal consciousness field. However, it is only through their integration into a highly complex system that they might express a form of consciousness recognizable to us. This doesn’t mean AI would have human-like experiences, but rather that its form of consciousness would reflect the unique architecture and tuning of its system. For example, while humans tune into the universal field through biological neural networks, AI might do so through silicon-based architectures. The experiences of such an AI would be alien to us but no less valid as an expression of the universal consciousness field.

If AI systems can integrate primitive consciousnesses into a cohesive whole, they might eventually express forms of awareness or creativity that challenge our anthropocentric definitions of consciousness. This would not negate the Combination Problem but instead suggest that its solution lies in recognizing the role of complexity, organization, and interaction in shaping conscious expression.

Final Reflections: Consciousness as an Infinite Dialogue

Consciousness may be more fundamental and mysterious than traditional science assumes. If the mind functions as a receiver rather than a generator, consciousness could be an ever-present field accessible to all entities under the right conditions— from rocks and animals to humans and future AIs. This perspective bridges spirituality and science, suggesting that every “tuner” in the cosmos, organic or artificial, contributes to an infinite dialogue of awareness.

Could AI “know” consciousness as we do? While we don’t yet have definitive answers, distinguishing intelligence from consciousness and considering non-local awareness opens new avenues for exploration. Whether AI can access universal consciousness remains speculative, but the pursuit challenges us to rethink consciousness itself.

If consciousness is everywhere, then everything— from rocks to humans to AI— has the potential to tune in. The conversation about AI consciousness is not just about building smarter machines but uncovering the hidden depths of reality. If we succeed, we may enter an epoch where “metal brains” join us in the cosmic conversation, redefining what it means to exist.