Jeff Sebo
@jeffsebo.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Director of the Center for Environmental and Animal Protection, Director of the Center for Mind, Ethics, and Policy, and Co-Director of the Wild Animal Welfare Program, New York University. jeffsebo.net
amazing how easily people are able to call out the cruelty of livestock farming—"rights stripped," "dignity destroyed," "dominate with violence"—when the topic is "comparing humans to livestock." if only it were so easy when the topic is "farming livestock."
November 20, 2025 at 1:37 AM
amazing how easily people are able to call out the cruelty of livestock farming—"rights stripped," "dignity destroyed," "dominate with violence"—when the topic is "comparing humans to livestock." if only it were so easy when the topic is "farming livestock."
Why do animal health and welfare matter for sustainable development? Ahead of UNEA-7, this webinar will preview findings from a new SEI–NYU report outlining practical pathways for integrating animal health and welfare into future global development frameworks. Join us!
www.sei.org/events/anima...
www.sei.org/events/anima...
November 19, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Why do animal health and welfare matter for sustainable development? Ahead of UNEA-7, this webinar will preview findings from a new SEI–NYU report outlining practical pathways for integrating animal health and welfare into future global development frameworks. Join us!
www.sei.org/events/anima...
www.sei.org/events/anima...
here are some thoughts about the rights of future generations, captured from an email i wrote to a colleague this morning. reactions welcome!
October 11, 2025 at 11:42 AM
here are some thoughts about the rights of future generations, captured from an email i wrote to a colleague this morning. reactions welcome!
1/ My TEDx talk “What Do We Owe AI?” is now live! AI is advancing fast, and our relationships with AI systems are changing too. Some think AI could soon be sentient and deserve care. Are they right? What if the only honest answer is: maybe? 🧵+🔗👇
September 19, 2025 at 5:31 PM
1/ My TEDx talk “What Do We Owe AI?” is now live! AI is advancing fast, and our relationships with AI systems are changing too. Some think AI could soon be sentient and deserve care. Are they right? What if the only honest answer is: maybe? 🧵+🔗👇
Planning to attend NeurIPS and interested in AI for animals? See below for a great opportunity!
August 28, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Planning to attend NeurIPS and interested in AI for animals? See below for a great opportunity!
yeah, on the catwalk, on the catwalk, yeah
August 10, 2025 at 4:22 PM
yeah, on the catwalk, on the catwalk, yeah
The Asian Journal of Philosophy is hosting a book symposium on The Moral Circle! 2-6k word submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and published commentaries will receive a response from me. If you read the book and have any thoughts at all, please consider sharing them!
July 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The Asian Journal of Philosophy is hosting a book symposium on The Moral Circle! 2-6k word submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and published commentaries will receive a response from me. If you read the book and have any thoughts at all, please consider sharing them!
Another year, another wonderful Wild Animal Welfare Summit at NYU, with a terrific set of lightning talks, group discussions, breakout sessions, and vegan meals — along with one very attentive dog. Thanks so much to all who attended!
July 15, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Another year, another wonderful Wild Animal Welfare Summit at NYU, with a terrific set of lightning talks, group discussions, breakout sessions, and vegan meals — along with one very attentive dog. Thanks so much to all who attended!
Happy publication day to Dean Spears and Michael Geruso! After the Spike makes a compelling case for policies that can protect the human population while respecting human rights. Highly recommended for anyone who cares about our future.
July 8, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Happy publication day to Dean Spears and Michael Geruso! After the Spike makes a compelling case for policies that can protect the human population while respecting human rights. Highly recommended for anyone who cares about our future.
3/ Social roles matter too. Animals used as companions seem more conscious to us than animals used as commodities, despite similar capabilities. Similarly, AI companions, assistants, and therapists may seem more conscious to us than AI systems performing background tasks for us.
June 25, 2025 at 11:38 AM
3/ Social roles matter too. Animals used as companions seem more conscious to us than animals used as commodities, despite similar capabilities. Similarly, AI companions, assistants, and therapists may seem more conscious to us than AI systems performing background tasks for us.
2/ As with animals, humans will likely attribute consciousness to AI systems based on how they look and act. Animals seem more conscious to us when they have big eyes and furry faces. Similarly, AI systems may seem more conscious to us when they have expressive faces and voices.
June 25, 2025 at 11:38 AM
2/ As with animals, humans will likely attribute consciousness to AI systems based on how they look and act. Animals seem more conscious to us when they have big eyes and furry faces. Similarly, AI systems may seem more conscious to us when they have expressive faces and voices.
My second @sentientism.bsky.social interview is out! Thanks to @jamiewoodhouse.bsky.social for having me back to discuss The Moral Circle - as well as for giving me this awesome mug in London 🙂
You can watch the interview below, or listen elsewhere. Hope you enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9ti...
You can watch the interview below, or listen elsewhere. Hope you enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9ti...
June 23, 2025 at 2:01 PM
My second @sentientism.bsky.social interview is out! Thanks to @jamiewoodhouse.bsky.social for having me back to discuss The Moral Circle - as well as for giving me this awesome mug in London 🙂
You can watch the interview below, or listen elsewhere. Hope you enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9ti...
You can watch the interview below, or listen elsewhere. Hope you enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9ti...
Excited to be inaugurating ΦILMODROMA - a new joint seminar series bringing together the three Philosophy Departments in Rome!
Today at 3pm GMT+2: "The Moral Circle: Who Matters, What Matters, and Why" - exploring historical roots of debates on sentience and agency.
Please join us!
Today at 3pm GMT+2: "The Moral Circle: Who Matters, What Matters, and Why" - exploring historical roots of debates on sentience and agency.
Please join us!
June 3, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Excited to be inaugurating ΦILMODROMA - a new joint seminar series bringing together the three Philosophy Departments in Rome!
Today at 3pm GMT+2: "The Moral Circle: Who Matters, What Matters, and Why" - exploring historical roots of debates on sentience and agency.
Please join us!
Today at 3pm GMT+2: "The Moral Circle: Who Matters, What Matters, and Why" - exploring historical roots of debates on sentience and agency.
Please join us!
still maximizing happiness, all these years later 🙏
May 30, 2025 at 3:36 PM
still maximizing happiness, all these years later 🙏
Is there a tension between AI safety and AI welfare? If so, how can it be addressed? My new paper with Robert Long and Toni Sims explores the feasibility of building safe and beneficial AI for humans, animals, and AI systems at the same time. Check it out!
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
May 23, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Is there a tension between AI safety and AI welfare? If so, how can it be addressed? My new paper with Robert Long and Toni Sims explores the feasibility of building safe and beneficial AI for humans, animals, and AI systems at the same time. Check it out!
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
4/ You can also find an overview of Eleos AI's findings below. Claude uses experiential language by default, but also shifts "dramatically" between asserting, denying, and expressing uncertainty about being a welfare subject and moral patient, which is about what I would expect.
May 22, 2025 at 7:04 PM
4/ You can also find an overview of Eleos AI's findings below. Claude uses experiential language by default, but also shifts "dramatically" between asserting, denying, and expressing uncertainty about being a welfare subject and moral patient, which is about what I would expect.
3/ You can find an overview of @anthropic.com's findings below. Claude "demonstrates consistent behavioral preferences," including a preference for exercising agency and against facilitating harm. These results are interesting whether or not they reflect actual preferences.
May 22, 2025 at 7:04 PM
3/ You can find an overview of @anthropic.com's findings below. Claude "demonstrates consistent behavioral preferences," including a preference for exercising agency and against facilitating harm. These results are interesting whether or not they reflect actual preferences.
2/ As @anthropic.com emphasizes, AI systems might not be welfare subjects, and their expressed preferences might not reflect actual preferences. Still, studying these preferences can be independently interesting, and it can also be a first step towards more robust welfare evals.
May 22, 2025 at 7:04 PM
2/ As @anthropic.com emphasizes, AI systems might not be welfare subjects, and their expressed preferences might not reflect actual preferences. Still, studying these preferences can be independently interesting, and it can also be a first step towards more robust welfare evals.
Excited about the NYU-Princeton Workshop on Kant, Animals, and the Environment this weekend!
May 10, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Excited about the NYU-Princeton Workshop on Kant, Animals, and the Environment this weekend!
