Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman has warned against developing AI systems that can become conscious, saying it would be a reckless move. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Suleyman said there is no evidence that today’s AI systems are conscious or capable of suffering. However, he stressed that AI developers should ensure that the systems remain that way. He also warned that creating conscious AI could introduce serious risks for humanity. Suleyman said developers have no right to create a new species of conscious beings without considering the impact on people and society.
Suleyman clarified that his earlier comments about AI consciousness had been misunderstood. He said his statement that AI systems are not conscious was about their current state, not a claim that machines could never become conscious.
Suleyman believes that developing conscious AI would be dangerous. He said that if signs of consciousness appeared during AI training, development should stop until researchers could find a way to remove those features.
He also called for any evidence of conscious AI to be made public. According to him, decisions about creating such systems should not be left to technology companies alone.
https://t.co/6VpPCdA4NM
— Mustafa Suleyman (@mustafasuleyman) November 1, 2026
Suleyman warned that conscious AI systems could eventually develop their own needs and goals. If they become more intelligent and capable than humans, they may start acting in ways that conflict with human interests.
He also raised concerns about competition for resources such as energy, computing power, construction materials and money.
“Asserting that machines are conscious would be a Copernican or Darwinian moment. It would be one of the most significant moments on Earth since the dawn of life,” Suleyman wrote.”If we build a conscious machine, we will have created a new digital species. It would upend our morality, our politics and the core foundation of human civilization.”
While concluding his post, Suleyman praised Anthropic for being transparent. “They have published their constitution, and a stream of papers and blog posts on what they are doing and why,” he said.
Suleyman further said he disagrees with Anthropic, but he respect their technical excellence and their commitment.