Ep. 5 The Ethics of AI Welfare: Consciousness, Agency, and Moral Status | Prof. Jeff Sebo (NYU)

Is it possible for artificial intelligence to experience happiness or suffering? In this episode, host Maryna Nekrasova sits down with Professor Jeff Sebo, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Director of the Center for Mind, Ethics, and Policy at NYU. Ahead of his lecture at McGill University’s Philosophy, Technology, and Policy Lab, Professor Sebo discusses why we must take AI welfare seriously in the near future. Together, they untangle complex philosophical boundaries, exploring the distinctions between welfare subjects and moral patients, the routes of consciousness and robust agency, and the looming tensions between AI safety and AI welfare.📘 Featured Book: The Moral Circle (2025) by Professor Jeff Sebo.

💡 About the McGill PTP Lab The McGill Philosophy, Technology & Policy (PTP) Lab brings the tools of philosophy to bear on pressing questions in technology ethics and policy. We investigate the interconnections between AI, social media, gaming platforms, and other emerging technologies, examining how they collectively shape human experience. Our mission is to articulate and help realize the good digital life and just digital society.

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