The Split Problem

When we say an AI system is "conscious," we could mean two entirely different things, and nearly everyone confuses them.
The adjective describes what a system does: it processes information in consciousness-like ways.
The noun claims what a system is: it possesses consciousness.
That single grammatical shift (from function to being) is creating governance failures across every domain AI touches. The confusion is operational not academic. Governance frameworks are being drafted using terms t...