selfaware

Selfaware is an adjective used to describe beings or systems that possess self-awareness, the capacity to recognize and reflect upon themselves as distinct from the surrounding environment. In common usage, selfaware can describe humans and animals as well as artificial agents that display indicators of self-knowledge.

In psychology and neuroscience, self-awareness refers to the ability to attribute mental states to oneself, such as intentions, feelings, and beliefs, and to monitor cognitive processes (metacognition). The concept encompasses several levels, from basic awareness of internal states to reflective self-consciousness and an integrated sense of personal identity. Classic studies, including mirror self-recognition experiments, have explored its boundaries across species, though the interpretation of such results remains debated.

In artificial intelligence and philosophy, self-aware AI refers to systems that can monitor and reason about their own state, goals, and limitations. This does not imply subjective consciousness; current AI generally exhibits metacognitive features like error detection and self-checking without experiential awareness. Proponents argue it enhances safety and reliability, while critics warn that the term can be misleading and that true self-awareness may be unattainable or undesirable in machines.

Usage notes: The term selfaware is less common in formal psychology than the noun self-awareness or the adjective self-aware, and in many contexts is used informally or as a branding name. In scholarly writing, authors typically distinguish self-aware from self-conscious and from reflective cognition with precise definitions.