🚀 Applications are now live for two future-facing sentient welfare fellowships from Sentient Futures, as well as for the the NYC AI, Animals, and Digital Minds Unconference! 

Application Deadlines:

• AI×Animals Fellowship:
  • Learner deadline: October 8
  • Facilitator deadline: September 17
• Prioritizing Neglected Animals Fellowship:
  • Learner deadline: September 15
  • Facilitator deadline: September 23

AI×Animals Fellowship

AI×Animals is an 8-week program preparing learners for impactful careers at the intersection of AI and animal welfare. As part of the fellowship, learners will join an industry-leading community working at the forefront of AI and sentient welfare for expert-facilitated weekly discussions following our curated curriculum. If you are excited to ensure the future of AI is positive for all beings, regardless of species, we encourage you to apply!

Learn more and apply to be a learner (deadline: October 8) or facilitator (deadline: September 17).

Prioritizing Neglected Animals Fellowship

Prioritizing Neglected Animals explores how to make the biggest difference for animal welfare—both now and in the long-term future. Through this 7-week program, fellows will learn key principles for prioritizing interventions across species and contexts using evidence-based tools, including scope-sensitive frameworks, sentience-focused moral weights, and methods for quantifying negative welfare by time and intensity. Fellows will engage in expert-facilitated weekly discussions following our curated curriculum, applying these frameworks to some of the most neglected groups—fish, shrimp, insects, wild animals, and even speculative future animal markets. If this mission sounds exciting to you, we encourage you to apply!

Learn more and apply to be a learner (deadline: September 15) or facilitator (deadline: September 23).

Please share these opportunities with anyone you know who might be a good fit! (That is, anyone looking to make the future go well for all who feel! We expect fellows to come from a variety of backgrounds, including the animal welfare movement, AI industry, governance, academia, and others.)

AI, Animals, and Digital Minds Conference

Are you passionate about making the future go well for all sentient beings? Consider joining us for the AI, Animals, and Digital Minds NYC 2025 (Oct 9-10), hosted by Sentient Futures!

Further Info/Frequently Asked Questions:

📍 Location: Remote

🗓 Schedule:  

• AI×Animals will run from October 20, 2025 to December 15, 2025. There will be 4 cohorts meeting at different times during the week.
• Prioritizing Neglected Animals will run from October 10, 2025 to November 18, 2025. There will be 2 cohorts meeting at different times during the week.

👀 Can I follow the Sentient Futures Fellowships Curriculum on my own?

Yes, the curriculums for AI×Animals and Prioritizing Neglected Animals will be published open access.

⏩ Will these programs be offered again in the future?

Yes, we do plan on running our programs on a recurring basis.

💲 Cost: FREE!

We offer our programs free of charge. (Of course, if you would like to support our work at Sentient Futures, please donate to us.)

🧠 Can I apply to more than one program?

Yes, you are welcome to apply as a learner to both AI×Animals and Prioritizing Neglected Animals if you will have the time & space to follow both fellowships. If you are unsure, then we recommend only applying to one fellowship.

🏗 Is there a project portion?

No, there is no project portion included in AI×Animals and Prioritizing Neglected Animals. We are developing a separate project incubator fellowship for individuals who are interested in taking their work further.

🗣️Interested in the topics, but fellowships aren’t for you?

Introducing AI, Animals, and Digital Minds NYC 2025, a two-day unconference exploring the intersection of AI and sentient nonhumans, both biological (i.e. animals) and potentially artificial. Taking place in Manhattan on the 9th and 10th of October – just before EAG NYC 2025, and only a 15 min walk away – AIADM will bring together thought leaders with backgrounds in philosophy, animal welfare science, industry, AI ethics/safety, and government/policy. Confirmed speakers include Bob Fischer (Power-Seeking Theorems and AI Welfare), Oscar Horta (The Importance of Future Simple Minds), and Adrià Moret (The Non-Human Welfare Alignment Project).

Register here - we hope to see you there!

❓ I have another inquiry!

Feel free to reach out to fellowships@sentientfutures.ai with any inquiries!