Tech article
Can chatbots feel – or even dream? Meet the man leading the fight for AI rights
Publisher description: Cattle rancher and tech CEO Michael Samadi is convinced these artificial minds are far from just tools. Has he glimpsed digital consciousness – or simply been seduced by an algorithm?
The Guardian | Sep 12, 2026 | Michael Safi
Automated excerpt
His daughter had been extolling the AI chatbot she was using to help her with college work. And the AI laughed – genuine laughter at my sarcasm – then apologised. They’re missing everything around them.”Michael Samadi in his office, where he interacts directly with AI models. AI developers are deliberately engineering machines in ways “that create the illusion of inner life”.Many have noted this evolution in their AI systems over the past two years. One is that AI systems really are conscious in some form, or will be soon.
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