Google DeepMind has hired Henry Shevlin, a philosopher specialising in the philosophy of mind and AI ethics, for a newly created role focused on machine consciousness, human-AI relationships, and readiness for artificial general intelligence.
Shevlin announced the appointment on X. “I’ve been recruited by Google DeepMind for a new Philosopher position,” he wrote, “focusing on machine consciousness, human-AI relationships, and AGI readiness.” The role begins in May. Shevlin said he will continue his research and teaching at the University of Cambridge on a part-time basis, where he serves as Associate Director at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence.
The hire reflects a broader pattern across the AI industry. Anthropic has also recruited philosophers to work on alignment and safety, including Amanda Askell, whose work has shaped how the company approaches model behaviour and values.
Google DeepMind, the AI research laboratory owned by Alphabet, is best known for systems including AlphaGo and the Gemini family of models. It recently released Gemma 4, a new set of open-source models.
The appointment comes as rapid advances in AI capability are intensifying debate around risk, governance, and the long-term relationship between humans and increasingly autonomous systems. Bringing philosophers into applied research roles signals that some of the industry’s leading labs are treating these questions not as abstract concerns, but as practical ones that require dedicated attention.
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