Initial results of the Digital Consciousness Model
arXiv Preprint Archive January 22, 2026 Derek Shiller, Laura Duffy, Arvo Muñoz Morán et al.
The evidence against large language models (LLMs) from 2024 being conscious is not decisive, though it is stronger than the evidence against consciousness in simpler AI systems. The Digital Consciousness Model (DCM) provides a systematic, probabilistic framework for assessing consciousness in AI, incorporating multiple leading theories rather than a single one. It allows comparison across different AIs and biological organisms and tracks how evidence evolves as AI develops. The DCM's initial results show that while current LLMs likely lack consciousness, the case against them is far from settled.