Can Machines Dream? What ‘Being You’ Reveals About AI and Animal Minds

From dolphins to deep learning: Who else might share our conscious experience?

When you look into the eyes of a dog, or watch an AI defeat a human at chess, you might wonder: what is it like to be them? Anil Seth’s 'Being You' challenges us to expand our circle of empathy. Evidence for animal consciousness is mounting—dolphins, elephants, and even birds show signs of self-awareness, emotion, and problem-solving. These findings blur the boundary between human and non-human minds.



On the frontier of technology, the question is even more provocative: could machines ever be conscious? Theories like Integrated Information Theory suggest that consciousness depends on the complexity and integration of information. If so, then sophisticated AI systems might one day cross the threshold into awareness—not just simulating intelligence, but experiencing something.

The ethical stakes are enormous. Recognizing consciousness in animals has already transformed animal welfare laws and our treatment of other species. If machines ever become conscious, we will face new moral dilemmas about their rights and responsibilities.

Ultimately, the science of consciousness invites humility. It teaches us that the miracle of mind may not be unique to humans, and that our responsibility to other minds—wherever they arise—is to treat them with care and respect.



References: Being You by Anil Seth, LSE Review 1 , Anil Seth’s official site 3 , Goodreads 4