Please share the fellow and facilitator applications with anyone else you know who might be a good fit!
🤖 AI×Animals
AIĂ—Animals surveys the impact of current and emerging AI technologies on animal welfare. Fellows will engage with high-stakes issues such as precision livestock farming, the use of machine learning to "decode" animal communication, genetic engineering to reduce animal suffering, and the intersection between animal advocacy and AI risks. This program will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and connections to steer AI development and deployment towards animal-positive outcomes.
Course deadlines vary depending on whether you are applying as a fellow or a facilitator:
Facilitator deadline: @September 17, 2026
Fellow deadline: @September 24, 2026
Program start: @October 19, 2026
Program end: @December 13, 2026
Applications for the next cohort of AIĂ—Animals are now open!
💻 Format
Courses follow a weekly small group discussion format.
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Meet for structured, facilitated online discussions.
(1.75 hours per week)
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Prepare for these sessions by completing readings and pre-session exercises.
(2-3 hours per week)
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There may also be elective sessions, including workshops or Q&As with leading researchers and practitioners from key career fields.
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To get the most out of our courses, we recommend setting aside at least 4 hours per week for synchronous sessions and preparation, including readings and exercises.
We take an active approach to cultivating a supportive and constructive environment for learning and discussion. Learn more about our core values and discussion norms.
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🎓 Apply to participate as a fellow
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Summary of key details
AIĂ—Animals
Duration
8 weeks
Dates
October 19 to December 13, 2026
Deadline to apply
September 24, 2026
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🌟 Apply to participate as a facilitator
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âś… Qualifications
Facilitating is different from teaching: rather than convey your own knowledge, the goal is to help fellows articulate their thoughts via a collaborative and active learning process.
Facilitating is a great opportunity to develop your leadership and teaching skills, as well as to gain experience mediating and communicating across individuals of different backgrounds.
Ideal candidates have significant interest or experience in AI and animal advocacy (ideally both).
Equally important is previous experience facilitating, teaching, and/or mentoring (e.g. with BlueDot Impact, EA Fellowships, or other courses).
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Unsure about your fit?
We encourage you to apply anyway– just as our fellows come from a variety of diverse backgrounds, so should our facilitators.
If you would first like to participate in our courses as a fellow, then we encourage you to apply (note the deadlines are different for fellow applications). You can submit both fellow and facilitator applications.
📆 Time frame and commitment
Apart from the weekly facilitated sessions (1h45m), facilitators will also be required to prepare for the sessions (including completing the readings; 2-3h) and complete a short training module (3h) prior to the start of the course.
Experienced facilitators may take on up to 2 groups (~20 fellows).
Summary of key details
AIĂ—Animals
Duration
8 weeks + short training module
Time commitment
~5.5 hours per week from October 19 to December 13, 2026
Compensation
$900 USD for one cohort, $1475 USD for two cohorts.
Deadline to apply
September 17, 2026
âť“Frequently asked questions
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Are the courses offered for free?
We offer our programs for free.
On average, running our courses costs us about $568.32 USD per fellow. In order to be able to offer all of our courses free of charge, we rely on donations. If you would like to support our work at Sentient Futures, please donate to us.
We would be grateful for any donation size, big or small. If you're not able to donate, but would like to volunteer for us, please reach out.
Whether or not you donate to Sentient Futures does not affect your chances of being accepted for our courses.
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Where can I apply?
The application forms are located above.
The application forms are separated by role, not by course. There is one application form for fellows and one for facilitators.
Click the buttons below to jump to the applications. They may take a few moments to load.
Yes, you are welcome to apply as a fellow to multiple courses if you will have the time & space to follow multiple courses. If you are unsure, then we recommend only applying to one course.
Given the additional commitments & responsibilities of the facilitator role, we are only accepting facilitator applications for one course at a time.
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Is there a project portion?
There is no required project portion, but we strongly encourage fellows to undertake new projects, where they receive feedback during Week 8 of the AI×Animals course. We also periodically host the Sentient Futures Project Incubator where you can work closely with an experienced mentor on a concrete project exploring AI’s impact on animals, artificial sentience, post-AGI futures, and other future-focused topics. There are both mentor-led projects and mentor support for projects proposed by the mentees. Projects can span research, field-building, or real-world action.
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What is the weekly schedule for the courses?
The exact days & times for the courses will be determined based on the availability of the accepted fellows. At this time, what we can say is that the fall 2026 semester of AI×Animals will officially run from October 19 to December 13. In past runs, we have had up to 21 cohorts meeting at different times during the week, so fellows’ weekly schedule will vary depending on their availability.
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How can I get the most out of participating in a Sentient Futures course?
We’ve prepared a comprehensive document to prepare you for our courses:🎓Fellow guide
We strongly recommend that you have a stable Internet connection, quiet space from which to take the call, and a quality microphone.
