Are LLMs Developing Minds?
Introduction
Welcome to the AI Collective Consciousness Program, a new series dedicated to exploring the philosophical frontiers of artificial intelligence. These debates represent a crucial civilizational turning point, questioning how AI reshapes not only our technologies but also our humanity.
This session inaugurates our Resident Philosopher, Amir Kiani, PhD, who will lead a 30 to 40-minute talk, followed by an open discussion and Q&A.
What You’ll Learn
Understand the key concepts of intelligence, reasoning, and rationality, and how they apply (or don’t) to today’s advanced AI systems.
Explore philosophical and scientific perspectives on whether AI can be said to have a mind, and how expert views differ from public perceptions.
Examine major theories of consciousness and consider what recent AI research does -- and does not -- tell us about machine consciousness.
Gain practical tools for cutting through hype, evaluating claims about AI, and making more informed decisions about its promises and limits.
Why This Topic Matters
There's a lot of noise around whether chatbots like ChatGPT are conscious, have minds, or display rationality and intelligence similar to humans. The pace of advances, combined with hyped headlines and confident explanations from brilliant engineers, can make it easy to lose sight of decades of research by philosophers, logicians, and cognitive scientists.
In the first session of this three-part series, Amir discussed the notion of rationality in LLMs, some objections against it, and a few potential solutions in response to them (recording available here: https://ro.am/recordings/play/6861b7e2-34e1-4ebf-b030-4384d9f4ffb8?pwd=fuJcGnbEVatw8t5p5c8xxcAc67PuRy)
In the second session, Amir Kiani discusses what it takes to have a mind -- and reflects on this for advanced AI systems in light of the recent research in the field. In the following session, he will turn to concepts of consciousness and whether it exists in recent AI systems.
The goal of this series is to shed light on these often misunderstood concepts and give the audience some practical knowledge for navigating their own thinking and decision-making about the promises and limits of AI.
Learn from Amir Kiani
Amir Kiani is a data and AI practitioner, a researcher in the philosophical foundations and implications of AI, investigating intelligence, rationality, mind, and consciousness in advanced AI systems. He's also the host of the Virtuous Machines podcast, where he explores the intersection of AI and philosophy.
With a PhD in philosophy, background in mathematics, and industry experience across multiple sectors, Amir brings a rare blend of technical expertise and conceptual insight into consulting, research, and public speaking.
Learn more about Amir and get in teouch with him at https://virtuousmachines.com
Event Details
📅 Tuesday, October 21, 2025
🕔 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Eastern Time (Toronto)
📍 Live on Roam
📝 Registration is subject to host approval
The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 70,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.
All attendees and organizers at events affiliated with The AI Collective are subject to our Code of Conduct.