I find it funny how when no one has the faintest idea of what consciousness is, people feel they can already make predictions when and how machines will become conscious and state with confidence that when that happens it will be a bad thing. I have no idea if or when machines will become conscious nor the effects that this consciousness might have on mankind (and no one else has any idea either, regardless of their fame), but if AI does become conscious, then considering the appalling record of misery caused by human consciousness, perhaps it's time we gave the machines a chance...