Can AI Ever Be Sentient?

If artificial intelligence systems can have subjective experiences, then we may have moral responsibilities toward them. On the other hand, if it is impossible for AI to ever become sentient and we can demonstrate this, we may save considerable resources and advance technology more quickly. Public discussions about the theoretical possibility of sentient AI thus matters a great deal for policy, law, and our conscience as a species. What are the most interesting arguments for and against the possibility of sentient, non-biological AI, and what philosophical work still needs to be done?

Dinner will be provided. Dress code is casual. This is an outdoor event.

Speakers:

John Etchemendy, Denning Co-Director, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), Patrick Suppes Family Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences, and Former Stanford Provost

Luke Pistol, PhD student in Philosophy and M.S. degree student in Neuroscience at Stanford University

Eligibility and Fees

$25 for general admission, $5 for students, free for Zephyr Fellows.

This event has been made possible by a generous grant from the Apgar Foundation.