You're right that consciousness is notoriously hard to define, and the various experts working on the subject (neuroscientists, evolutionists, philosophers, and computer scientists) haven't yet reached a consensus on the matter.
Molly addresses one definition of consciousness, that of Attention Schema Theory [1]. In that definition, awareness is a cognitive function of the brain, and relates to an inner monologue. In that definition, too, a machine that shows such awareness is indiscernable from a true conscious being.
That's a fascinating but endless subject - see Wikipedia's long article on consciousness [2].
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_schema_theory
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consciousness
