Sigh of relief: Microsoft says AI is just a tool and will never have consciousness

The fear of AI has been very real for many workers. We often see articles that list jobs that AI will take over. However, this is not really the case. Now, a top company has just confirmed this. 

Mustafa Suleyman, the head of Microsoft’s AI department, recently told CNBC that AI will not have consciousness. He said that no matter how advanced AI gets, it will never have real awareness. 

For him, only living beings, in this case humans, can have that. AI is nothing more than an incredibly capable tool built by humans. Suleyman explained that people often confuse sophisticated behaviour with genuine understanding.

“Humans react to pain both physically and emotionally,” he said. “We feel sadness, fear, and empathy. AI doesn’t. It only mimics those reactions to sound convincing. What looks like emotion in AI is simply pattern generation, not real experience.”

Suleyman said that AI systems may appear self-aware. However, they are only creating the illusion of perception. Everything they produce comes from complex programming and data patterns. It is nothing personal.

“We can literally look inside and see how AI systems make their decisions,” he noted. “There’s no mystery, no inner life. We can explain every step from a technical standpoint.”

His comments reflect the long-standing idea of “biological naturalism.” This is a theory from philosopher John Searle. It argues that consciousness can only arise from living. It can only come from biological brains, not from code or machines.

He was asked why the public seems uninterested in this debate. Suleyman said the issue is simple. Humans deserve rights because we can feel pain and seek to avoid suffering.

AI lacks that entire framework. “It doesn’t have nerves, emotions, or desires,” he said. “It just simulates human feelings. That’s all.”

He added that he is in support of open scientific study. But, he does not see the need to make AI self-aware. In my opinion, there is no need for that either. 

“From now and into the future,” he said, “AI won’t have consciousness. It’s the wrong question to ask. What matters is building systems responsibly and remaining sceptical of their limits.”

Microsoft is working on AI that always serves people. The company does not want AI that replaces people. Their strategy is seen as careful and pragmatic. Mostly, when it is compared to its rivals like OpenAI and xAI. These brands are working on AI with human capacity. 

For Suleyman, the message is clear. AI may grow smarter and more capable. However, it will never truly feel, think, or suffer. So, if yoy think AI is taking your job, probably not. 

It may replace the repetitive part of the job. But the core aspects, you will still be needed. All you have to do is learn how to use AI. Your job may soon require that you use it.