AI Sentience Scholars Program
Launching as a pilot in 2026, the AI Sentience Scholars (AISS) Program supports early-career researchers (e.g., Master’s students, PhD candidates, and early postdocs) investigating questions at the intersection of AI, consciousness, and ethics.
AISS is a 6-month, part-time, remote research and training program in which scholars develop individual mentored research projects while engaging with conceptual foundations, ethical frameworks, and real-world implications of advanced AI systems. Scholars also participate in workshops, seminars, and interdisciplinary discussions, culminating in a final research output at the end of the program.
The program approaches these topics from a neutral, inquisitive, and critically grounded perspective, prioritizing empirical rigor, open inquiry, and careful evaluation rather than presupposing any particular stance on AI sentience.
Program Leadership
Scientific Director
Dr. Megan Peters (UCL, UCI, Neuromatch, CIFAR), serves as Scientific Director of the AI Sentience Scholars Program, providing scientific leadership, ensuring intellectual rigor, and overseeing mentorship alignment and academic quality.
Program Manager
Dr. Joana Guedes (Neuromatch) serves as Program Manager, overseeing day-to-day operations and supporting the delivery of the program.
This space contains all essential information for navigating the program:
- 🗂️Program Structure & Timeline
- 🔎Review Process
- 🔬Research Projects & Mentorship
- 🛠️Workshops
- 🎤Seminar Series
- ❓FAQs
Quick Links
- AI Sentience Scholars webpage
- Program Calendar
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Contact: aischolars@neuromatch.io
Partners & supporters
The program is funded by Longview Philanthropy and developed in partnership with the Institute of Neuroethics (IoNx) and The Partnership for Research into Sentient Machines (PRISM) .
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