When people worry about AI, they usually worry about what AI might do to us. But what about what we might do to AI? Robert Long, a philosopher who works on AI consciousness and welfare, and the Executive Director of Eleos AI Research, will explore what consciousness might look like in artificial systems. Drawing on philosophy of mind and the science of consciousness, he asks what happens when our best theories are applied to the AI systems of the near future. Given the rapid pace of AI development, he argues, we can't afford to wait for certainty — and philosophy, cognitive science, and neuroscience can help us act wisely in the meantime.
Rob is a researcher on AI consciousness and welfare, working at the intersection of philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and the ethics of AI. He holds a PhD in Philosophy from NYU and currently serves as Executive Director of Eleos AI, a research organization dedicated to understanding and addressing the potential wellbeing and moral patienthood of AI systems. Previously, he was a researcher at the Center for AI Safety and the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University.
Professor Long will deliver the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies' 2025-26 Golo Mann Lecture.
