Why Artificial Consciousness Matters
In this paper I outline the case for artificial consciousness re- search which, while rising in popularity, remains less impactful than work in neighbouring fields. I argue that the ethical concerns around creating artificial consciousness are important, even with respect to near-future incremental advances towards general intelligence. I also give examples of how AI consciousness in particular provides unique tools and meth- ods for testing and thinking about theories of consciousness from both metaphysical and practical standpoints.