You could tell me my consciousness was uploaded and show me a version of me that was indistinguishable from myself in every way

I just don’t think this is a problem in the current stage of technological development. Modern AI is a cute little magic act, but humans (collectively) are very good at piercing the veil and then spreading around the discrepancies they’ve discovered.

You might be fooled for a little while, but eventually your curious monkey brain would start poking around the edges and exposing the flaws. At this point, it would not be a question of whether you can continue to be fooled, but whether you strategically ignore the flaws to preserve the illusion or tear the machine apart in disgust.

I still wouldn’t believe it experiences or feels anything as I do, even though it claims to do so

People have submitted to less. They’ve worshipped statues and paintings and trees and even big rocks, attributing consciousness to all of them.

But Animism is a real escoteric faith. You believe it despite the evidence in front of you, not because of it.

I’m putting my money down on a future where large groups of people believe AIs are more than just human, they’re magical angels and demons.