Ted Chiang dismisses LLM consciousness as analogy to Microsoft Word

By PulseAugur Editorial · [1 sources] · 2026-06-20 04:23

Science fiction author Ted Chiang argues against the notion that Large Language Models (LLMs) are conscious. He draws an analogy to Microsoft Word, suggesting that if LLMs were conscious, then Word documents containing conversational transcripts would also house dormant consciousnesses. Chiang dismisses this idea as an unproductive thought experiment, emphasizing that such a possibility is not worth considering. AI

IMPACT Challenges the notion of AI consciousness, framing it as an unproductive philosophical debate.

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Ted Chiang dismisses LLM consciousness as analogy to Microsoft Word

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Mastodon — fosstodon.org TIER_1 English(EN) · [email protected] · 2026-06-20 04:23

In an essay about how ludicrous the idea that LLMs are conscious, science fiction writer Ted Chiang asked us to consider Microsoft Word: “Being open to the poss

In an essay about how ludicrous the idea that LLMs are conscious, science fiction writer Ted Chiang asked us to consider Microsoft Word: “Being open to the possibility that LLMs are conscious is the same as being open to the possibility that Microsoft Word is conscious, or, more …

LINKS theatlantic.com/…/687378

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In an essay about how ludicrous the idea that LLMs are conscious, science fiction writer Ted Chiang asked us to consider Microsoft Word: “Being open to the poss

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