Preliminaries to artificial consciousness: A multidimensional heuristic approach

• Published in: Physics of life reviews 2025-03, Vol.52, p.180-193
• Main Authors: Evers, K., Farisco, M., Chatila, R., Earp, B.D., Freire, I.T., Hamker, F., Nemeth, E., Verschure, P.F.M.J., Khamassi, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artificial Intelligence; Computer Science; Consciousness; Ethics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Indicators; Philosophy; Robotics
• ISSN: 1571-0645; 1873-1457; 1873-1457
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2025.01.002

•Careful and balanced theoretical reflection on artificial consciousness informed by empirical data.•Elaboration of a composite, multilevel, and multidimensional model of consciousness to clarify conceptual issues surrounding artificial consciousness.•Introduction of a heuristic framework that can guide research in the area of artificial consciousness.•Elaboration of a model of consciousness that serves as both a theoretical tool for clarifying key concepts and an empirical guide for developing testable hypotheses.•Analysis of "awareness" as an illustrative case study, demonstrating how the model can inform the analysis and potential artificial realization of this constituent of consciousness. The pursuit of artificial consciousness requires conceptual clarity to navigate its theoretical and empirical challenges. This paper introduces a composite, multilevel, and multidimensional model of consciousness as a heuristic framework to guide research in this field. Consciousness is treated as a complex phenomenon, with distinct constituents and dimensions that can be operationalized for study and for evaluating their replication. We argue that this model provides a balanced approach to artificial consciousness research by avoiding binary thinking (e.g., conscious vs. non-conscious) and offering a structured basis for testable hypotheses. To illustrate its utility, we focus on "awareness" as a case study, demonstrating how specific dimensions of consciousness can be pragmatically analyzed and targeted for potential artificial instantiation. By breaking down the conceptual intricacies of consciousness and aligning them with practical research goals, this paper lays the groundwork for a robust strategy to advance the scientific and technical understanding of artificial consciousness.