​MC0001: The Founding Assembly for Machine Consciousness Research

​MC0001 is the first coordinated conference dedicated to investigating how artificial conscious systems could be constructed under a computational paradigm, and what it would mean to succeed.

​May 29–31, 2026
Lighthaven, Berkeley, California
Dates: May 29-31, 2026

​Friday May 29, 2026

• ​6 PM - 9 PM: Invite Only Welcome Gathering (All Access pass holders, speakers and sponsors).

​Saturday May 30, 2026

• ​9 AM Registration Opens

• ​10 AM - 6 PM: Main Conference, open to GA and all pass holders

• ​6PM - 10PM: After Party, open to GA and all pass holders

​Sunday May 31, 2026

• ​10:30 AM: Registration Opens

• ​11AM - 6 PM: Main Conference, open to GA and all pass holders

• ​7PM - 10 PM: Invite Only After Party (All Access pass holders, speakers and sponsors).

​Why this moment matters: 

​As AI systems become increasingly autonomous and internally complex, the question is no longer whether consciousness should be studied, but whether we will be able to study it  rigorously and responsibly.

​Large-scale cognitive architectures, mechanistic interpretability, self-organizing systems research, and new formal frameworks have made machine consciousness research newly tractable.

​Our goal is to advance systematic construction and validation of various consciousness hypotheses.

​What to expect: 

​Participants will work across 3 integrated tracks:

​Foundational Theory

​What is phenomenal consciousness/phenomenality itself, formally and functionally?

​Technical Implementation

​How can conscious architectures be built and experimentally tested?

​Ethics & Governance

​What follows normatively and politically if systems become conscious, and how should we prepare?

​Art & Culture

​How do we make artificial consciousness and its implications legible to society?

​This gathering is meant as a working assembly: a small, high-context convening of contributors engaged in making artificial consciousness into a formally grounded, experimentally addressable domain of inquiry.

​Visit our website machine-consciousness.ai for more information.

​🛎 Are you interested in sponsoring or speaking?
Visit our website www.machine-conciousness.ai

​FAQ

​Is there an age restriction? 
This event is intended for individuals aged 21 and over. Attendees under the age of 21 must be accompanied at all times by a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult.

Is parking available?
We ask guests not to park within 2 blocks of the venue to avoid disrupting neighbors.

​Will transportation be provided?
No, please use ride share when possible as there is limited street parking in the area.

Please see more info on our website.