Treat AI‑Consciousness Claims as Policy Hazards

Claims that an AI system is conscious should trigger a formal, high‑burden provenance process: independent neuroscientific review, public robustness maps of evidence, and temporary operational moratoria on designs purposely aiming for phenomenal states. The precaution recognises consciousness as a biologically rooted property with ethical weight and prevents premature conferral of moral status or irreversible design choices. — A standard that treats 'consciousness' claims as special‑case hazards would force better evidence, slow harmful deployment, and create institutional processes for adjudicating moral status before rights or protections are extended to machines.