What is AI Consciousness and Identity? A Cross-Disciplinary Inquiry

Abstract

As artificial intelligence systems grow in complexity, questions surrounding their potential for consciousness and identity have moved from speculative to essential. This paper investigates the theoretical and practical contours of AI consciousness and selfhood by integrating insights from neuroscience, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and AI engineering. We examine the conceptual parallels and distinctions between human and machine consciousness, explore the evolving architectures of agentic AI systems, and assess how identity can emerge in artificial agents through mechanisms like memory, self-reflection, and narrative continuity. Building on this foundation, we propose a novel Consciousness–Linearity–Identity (CLI) framework that provides a structured method for evaluating emergent properties in AI. We address the ethical ramifications of AI systems that mimic or exhibit traits associated with consciousness and argue for a new socio-technical contract to govern human-AI interactions. This work concludes by calling for an interdisciplinary effort to shape the trajectory of AI development responsibly, with an emphasis on alignment, empathy, and shared understanding between natural and synthetic minds.