Thanks for explaining your reasoning, I see it different than you.

Especially your comment regarding the LLM is where our beliefs differ: an LLM is the software plus the hardware, so in my opinion for sure if there ever is a “real” conscious AI, we know what it is made out of and that it’s the collection of programs that run on the hardware (we might never understand why that lead to consciousness, but it isn’t more than what was put in). So whatever that AI is, is defined by those two things. Same as we humans are defined by our nerve system and brain. Take parts of it away and it changes the whole (=brain damage, trauma, drugs, etc.).

Especially drugs and their influence on our minds are a big reason why I’m strongly in the “it’s all physical” camp. Taking drugs changes the minds of people while those drugs are in the system. That people feel their thinking change, is proof for me, that it’s all physical, since it can be influenced by physical means, e.g. drugs.

Now we both stated our beliefs, but I don’t think we will get a real answer in the close future and I don’t think we will convince the other person, so thanks again for explaining your reasoning.