Microsoft’s AI chief, Mustafa Suleyman, doesn’t buy into the idea that artificial intelligence could ever become conscious. In his view, consciousness is something only living, biological beings can have.
Speaking at the AfroTech Conference in Houston, Suleyman urged researchers to drop the idea of “sentient AI,” calling it “the wrong question.” He said that while AI can mimic experience, it doesn’t actually feel anything—it can’t suffer, sense pain, or have personal awareness.
To him, AI’s responses are more like a clever story than a real mind at work. This perspective matches the philosophy of biological naturalism, which says consciousness comes from living brain activity, not from machines or code.
Suleyman has become one of the most vocal opponents of treating AI as a conscious being. His book The Coming Wave and essay “We must build AI for people; not to be a person” both warn against giving machines human-like traits or emotions.
He also made it clear that Microsoft won’t be creating erotic chatbots, a trend other companies like OpenAI and xAI have explored. For Microsoft, the focus is on AI that supports humans, not imitates them.
The company’s Copilot assistant now even includes a “real talk” mode—a feature designed to challenge what users say rather than just agree with them.
Suleyman wrapped up his talk by warning against reckless AI acceleration. He believes that a bit of fear and healthy skepticism are essential if we want to manage AI’s explosive growth responsibly.
