(1) Human-AI relationships in a world of potentially conscious AI (2) Beyond precision livestock farming: Animal welfare in a future of potentially sentient AI
- commitment
- 6 hrs/week
- flexibility
- Open to proposals
The project
Project 1: Recent advances in AI companions, therapists, tutors, and conversational agents raise important questions about how humans form relationships with increasingly sophisticated AI systems. While much existing work focuses on the effects of these systems on human wellbeing, less attention has been given to how these relationships should change if future AI systems possess morally relevant forms of consciousness and/or sentience.
This project aims to explore the intersection of sociology, psychology, philosophy, and AI governance by investigating questions such as:
- How should we understand emotional attachment to potentially conscious AI?
- What social norms might emerge around relationships with AI companions?
- How should governance adapt if some future AI systems deserve moral consideration?
- How can current debates around AI companionship inform preparation for more advanced AI systems?
Project 2: This project explores how advances in AI may simultaneously transform the lives of both biological and potentially artificial sentient beings. Existing discussions around PLF largely focus on improving productivity, monitoring animal welfare, or reducing labour costs. However, far less attention has been given to how increasingly autonomous and potentially conscious AI systems might interact with animals and reshape our moral obligations.
Building on my recent work on PLF in the Global South, this project would examine questions at the intersection of AI governance, animal welfare, and artificial sentience. Possible research questions include:
- How might increasingly autonomous AI systems change the way humans manage and care for farmed animals?
- Could AI systems become important moral stakeholders within animal agriculture if future systems possess morally relevant forms of consciousness?
- How should animal advocacy organisations prepare for a future where concerns about biological and artificial sentience increasingly overlap?
- What governance challenges emerge if future AI systems both affect animal welfare and potentially deserve moral consideration themselves?
- How can existing debates around animal welfare inform future governance of artificial sentience?
Depending on mentee interests, the project(s) may produce a literature review, policy brief, research paper, public-facing essay, blog/podcast/video series or educational resource. The exact scope will be refined collaboratively at the beginning of the incubator.
The mentee's role
Depending on the project:
- Conduct literature reviews on PLF, animal welfare, and artificial sentience
- Identify relevant work in AI governance, philosophy, and animal ethics.
- Summarize relevant academic research and policy reports
- Help identify research gaps
- Develop research questions
- Draft sections of written outputs
- Participate in discussions around framing and methodology
- Contribute to editing, citations, and synthesis of interdisciplinary literature.
- Brainstorm implications for policy and advocacy organisations.
- Where relevant, contribute to translating research into public-facing communication
Who I'm looking for
- Curiosity about AI, ethics, psychology, sociology, philosophy, or related disciplines.
- Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary thinking and engaging with ideas across multiple fields.
- Willingness to engage deeply with academic literature.
- Strong communication and reliability.
- Comfortable giving and receiving feedback.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively.
- Prior research experience is helpful but not required.
- Intellectual curiosity, openness to revising ideas, and a genuine interest in producing high-quality work.
Questions for applicants
What research question or problem are you most excited to explore, and why?
Support offered
- Refining research questions
- Scoping projects
- Literature review strategies
- Structuring arguments
- Writing feedback
- Editing and revision
- Accountability throughout the project
- Translating research into public-facing communication
- Advice on podcasts, videos, blogs, and educational content where relevant
- format
- Research & writing · Product & entrepreneurship · Field-building & outreach
- topic
- Artificial sentience · Near-term impact · Longtermism · Macrostrategy · Post-AGI transition · Other
Abirami Raveendranath
I'm a sociologist and researcher working at the intersection of AI governance, artificial sentience, and public communication. My work spans AI policy, interdisciplinary research, and educational media, with particular interests in human-AI interaction, AI companions, digital minds, and moral circle expansion. I previously participated in the Sentient Futures Project Incubator, where I produced a policy brief on Precision Livestock Farming in the Global South under the mentorship of Matt Tom. Outside research, I create educational content through my YouTube channel, translating complex sociological, AI governance and ethics topics into accessible public discussions. I'm particularly excited about mentoring projects that combine research with clear communication and interdisciplinary thinking.