Robert Long is a contemporary philosopher of mind and AI ethics whose work navigates the intersection between consciousness, ethics, and artificial intelligence. After earning his PhD in philosophy from New York University—where he studied under noted scholars such as David Chalmers—Long contributed to the Future of Humanity Institute and served as a Philosophy Fellow at the Center for AI Safety. His research probes profound questions like whether advanced AI systems might one day possess subjective experiences—or even forms of sentience—and offers thoughtful caution on conflating intelligence with consciousness.

Long’s scholarly contributions span topics such as introspection in large language models, algorithmic fairness, and the moral status of AI. Notable works include Introspective Capabilities in Large Language Models (2023), which explores whether LLMs can develop self-awareness; a 2021 critique of fairness metrics in machine learning; and a 2024 co-authored piece arguing that AI language models cannot simply replace human participants in research. Beyond academic papers, he leads discussions on AI welfare and responsibilities—emphasizing that society should begin taking AI moral considerability seriously, even amid uncertainty.

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