Lecture by Jeff Sabo (Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Affiliated Professor of Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Philosophy, and Law at New York University).

On April 23, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., you are cordially invited to a lecture by Jeff Sabo (New York University) entitled “Next Steps for AI Welfare Research and Policy”, organized by the Jarislowsky Chair in Human Nature and Technology, held by Jocelyn Maclure (McGill University).

This talk examines why AI welfare matters, how societies will react to AI welfare, and how societal reactions should factor into AI development. It first argues that there is a realistic possibility that some near-future AI systems will be conscious and/or robustly agentic, making AI welfare and moral status a pressing issue. It then examines how society is likely to respond to this possibility, drawing lessons from historical and ongoing attitudes toward animal consciousness, agency, welfare, and moral status. Finally, it considers implications for AI design, proposing that systems should be engineered to elicit emotional responses that appropriately track their capacities and moral status, while navigating uncertainty, disagreement, and user autonomy.

The event will take place in Room 26 of the Leacock Building at McGill University, located at 855 Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal, Quebec.

For more information, click here.