You do not see the tautology in your own statement: "These language AIs do not have the capability of believing anything" ? If that is your starting assumption

You do not see the tautology in your own statement: "These language AIs do not have the capability of believing anything" ? If that is your starting assumption then, yes, they will never be sentient even when they will be. I am a neuroscientist. We do not know how the brain works and what causes an animal to be sentient. We do not know if a dog or a fruitfly are sentient in the way a human is. We know nothing about consciousness but you guys appear to be full of certainties about what can and cannot be self-aware.