A new formal machine model for consciousness, inspired by Alan Turing's model of computation and Bernard Baars' theater model, is developed from the perspective of theoretical computer science. The model aligns with major scientific theories of human and animal consciousness, explains many associated phenomena, provides insight into how a machine could have subjective consciousness, and is clearly buildable. This combination suggests that machine consciousness is not only plausible but inevitable.
This paper proposes a formal model of consciousness called the Conscious Turing Machine (CTM), inspired by Alan Turing's definition of a computer. The CTM formalizes the Global Workspace Theory from cognitive neuroscience, providing precise definitions for both the machine and consciousness itself. The authors argue that the CTM can explain why consciousness feels the way it does, and they evaluate their model based on how well it aligns with intuitive concepts of human consciousness, its ability to explain related phenomena, and its consistency with scientific evidence.