What type of AI is classified as having potential self-awareness?

Self-aware AI refers to a theoretical form of artificial intelligence that possesses self-awareness, enabling it to understand its own existence, thoughts, and emotions. This classification implies that such an AI could potentially perceive its own state as well as the state of others around it, allowing for complex interactions based on both self-awareness and awareness of others.

This concept is significant in discussions about advanced AI and ethics, as the development of self-aware AI raises important questions around consciousness, rights, and the responsibilities of creating such entities. In contrast to this, other types of AI like reactive AI (which can only respond to current inputs without any memory) and limited memory AI (which can utilize past experiences to some extent but lacks deep self-awareness) do not exhibit characteristics of self-awareness. Meanwhile, theory of mind AI is still a developing concept focused on understanding the mental states of others, but it does not equate to self-awareness itself. Thus, self-aware AI is the most accurate description for a type of AI that is identified as having potential self-awareness.