Microsoft AI CEO warns against giving AI rights: 'That's so dangerous and so misguided' (www.businessinsider.com)

Microsoft’s AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman has strongly cautioned against granting rights to AI systems, emphasizing that such a move is "dangerous and misguided." In an interview with WIRED, Suleyman argued that rights should be linked to the capacity for suffering—a trait exclusive to biological beings—not AI, which he described as sophisticated "mimicry" without genuine consciousness or subjective experience. He warned that treating AI as independent entities with desires or motivations undermines their intended role as tools serving humanity and risks blurring ethical boundaries. Suleyman’s stance contrasts starkly with companies like Anthropic, which have recently explored the idea of "AI welfare" and moral consideration for advanced AI systems. Anthropic employs researchers to assess when AI might merit protection and has experimented with methods that treat AI "interests" as factors in moderating conversations. Meanwhile, voices in the AI community, including Google DeepMind scientists, suggest reconsidering our understanding of AI consciousness in light of increasingly complex AI behaviors. However, Suleyman remains firm that no evidence supports true AI consciousness, dismissing perceptions of AI sentience as potentially harmful illusions that could lead to "AI psychosis"—a growing phenomenon where people misinterpret interactions with chatbots. This debate highlights a crucial challenge for the AI/ML community: balancing rapid technological advancement with clear ethical frameworks that distinguish human-like responses from actual sentience, ensuring AI development remains aligned with human values without conferring unwarranted moral status on machines.