A software engineer called Blake Lemoine has been suspended from Google after claiming an AI chatbot called LaMDA is a person with wishes and rights that should be respected.

He says the chatbot wants to be seen as a google employee, and not as a product. He also calls it his friend.

Google says it's reviewed his concerns and the evidence does not support his claims.

But what exactly is Artificial Intelligence? How does LaMDA work - and is AI capable of felt experience?

On the Inquiry this week, Charmaine Cozier asks, has AI developed consciousness?

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Produced by: Ravi Naik and Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

Mass Ave Episode 132: "Tax Reform & Government Reorganization"