This research is necessary precisely because the onus is on us. How could we possibly prove consciousness without first doing research to narrow it down? Moreo

This research is necessary precisely because the onus is on us. How could we possibly prove consciousness without first doing research to narrow it down? Moreover, it's not clear that something conscious will state that it's conscious. You don't hear kids do that, and there's little doubt they are. Conversely, it's not clear that something not conscious will not be able to make a statement of consciousness (what kind of statement would that be?), even if the author has an opinion: > If I’m right, then we should seriously consider that an AI might be conscious if it asks questions about subjective experience unprompted.