Google DeepMind Hires Philosopher to Research Machine Consciousness

Google DeepMind hired philosopher Henry Shevlin, who holds a PhD from City University of New York and degrees from Oxford, to research machine consciousness, human-AI relationships, and AGI readiness starting next month. Shevlin will continue his part-time role at the University of Cambridge while working to teach ethics to DeepMind's AI models and ensure alignment with human interests. The hire follows Anthropic's earlier 2026 appointment of AI philosopher Amanda Askell to teach ethics to Claude. The move reflects growing industry attention to philosophical questions about AI consciousness and moral agency, occurring amid public fears about AI risks exemplified by a 20-year-old man's alleged attack on Sam Altman's San Francisco residence motivated by extinction concerns.

Google DeepMind's Hiring of Henry Shevlin as Philosopher

• ▪Henry Shevlin has a BPhil and BA from the University of Oxford
• ▪Henry Shevlin will continue his role at the University of Cambridge along with his new position at Google DeepMind
• ▪Henry Shevlin announced on X that he will join Google DeepMind next month
• ▪Henry Shevlin is a part-time researcher and teacher at the University of Cambridge
• ▪Anthropic hired Amanda Askell as its AI philosopher earlier in 2026
• ▪Google DeepMind hired philosopher Henry Shevlin to work on machine consciousness and human-AI relationships
• ▪Henry Shevlin completed his PhD from the City University of New York

Focus Areas: Machine Consciousness, AGI, and Human-AI Relationships

• ▪Henry Shevlin's appointment marks an effort by Google DeepMind to address complex philosophical questions surrounding AI development
• ▪Henry Shevlin is expected to teach ethics to DeepMind's AI models and ensure that the AI aligns with human interests
• ▪Henry Shevlin will focus on machine consciousness, human-AI relationships, and AGI readiness at Google DeepMind
• ▪Henry Shevlin's work will focus on understanding and preparing for the implications of machine consciousness as AI systems advance
• ▪Amanda Askell was hired by Anthropic to help teach Claude ethics and morals

Growing Concerns About AI Safety and Existential Risks

• ▪A 20-year-old man allegedly attacked Sam Altman's residence in San Francisco
• ▪Police reports claimed that the suspect who attacked Sam Altman's residence feared the extinction of humanity due to AI

Perspective of Google DeepMind

• ▪Google DeepMind's hiring of Henry Shevlin demonstrates the company's commitment to preparing for AGI readiness and its philosophical implications