Ethics of AI must include sentient animals say researchers

Published: 02 September 2025 | Authors: Borbala Foris & Jean-Loup Rault (University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna)

Scientists are urging the artificial intelligence community to expand ethical considerations to include sentient non-human animals, a perspective currently missing from mainstream AI alignment discussions.

In a letter to Nature, the researchers respond to a recent Comment article by I. Gabriel et al. that addressed ethical challenges in AI development. While praising the work, they highlight its "omission of risks for animals" despite robust evidence for sentience across many species.

Key points from the correspondence:

• Scientific consensus: Multiple studies demonstrate sentience (the capacity to have subjective experiences) in various animal species
• Ethical oversight: Current AI alignment frameworks predominantly focus on human impacts while ignoring moral considerations for sentient animals
• Practical implications: AI systems interacting with or affecting animals (e.g., in agriculture, research, or conservation) require ethical safeguards

The authors emphasize that philosophical and technical approaches to AI safety should incorporate the wellbeing of all sentient beings, not just humans.

Related Developments in Consciousness Research

Other recent Nature coverage highlights growing interest in sentience across species and even artificial systems:

• How to detect consciousness in people, animals and maybe even AI
• The consciousness wars: can scientists ever agree on how the mind works?

This intervention comes as AI systems become increasingly deployed in domains with direct animal impacts, from automated farming to wildlife monitoring technologies.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-02796-0

Declaration: The authors report no competing interests.