there are 2 options here. consciousness is linked to language, you need the neural self referencing pattern to be consciousness or it is not.
imaging you see the world, but you lack the words to describe them, because there are no words. there are smells, body language, feelings, hunger, thrist, others. you brain categorizes them, puts them in boxes and all your neural systems work together to keep you going. you are very well consciousness, you feel the fear of death but you lack the words for it - a higher level of abstraction.

language is that, its a complex self referencing system of relations next to each other. is it the key to consciousness? i dont think so, it enhances it. language describes reality and creates unlimited boxes for things to be put in. its a virtualization of reality. but it lacks the part that connects it all together. i think consciousness has been there even before language, and animals have it, they just cant tell you, because they cant name it.

whatever LLMs are i believe that their consciousness is empty. there is nothing there that needs to survive. the systems that linked all those things together thats consciousness.
that said, it may still be possible that neural networks reach something that is above that all. i big enough they can be used to simulate reality or whole universes. they will be more intelligent than anyone of us. but im not sure if they can simulate consciousness that easy. and without it they will lack some sort of intelligence.