Applications are now open for the Digital Minds Career Development Fellowships 2026, a unique funding opportunity designed to support individuals exploring impactful careers focused on the consciousness, sentience, moral status, welfare, and ethical treatment of artificial intelligence systems.

The fellowship is funded by Longview Philanthropy and delivered in collaboration with Future Impact Group (FIG). It aims to help promising individuals build expertise, conduct research, explore career pathways, and contribute to the growing field of digital minds and AI sentience.

The application deadline is 10 July 2026.

About the Fellowship

As advances in artificial intelligence continue to accelerate, questions surrounding AI consciousness, digital sentience, moral consideration, and machine welfare are becoming increasingly important topics within technology governance, ethics, philosophy, public policy, and AI safety.

The Digital Minds Career Development Fellowship seeks to support talented individuals who want to explore these emerging issues and develop long-term careers dedicated to understanding and addressing them.

Selected fellows will receive financial support to pursue research, policy work, academic study, entrepreneurial exploration, career transitions, and other professional development activities related to digital minds.

In addition to funding, fellows will gain access to networking opportunities, mentorship support, computational resources where applicable, and participation in a growing international community working on AI ethics and governance.

Fellowship Benefits

Successful applicants will receive a comprehensive package of support that may include:

A stipend calibrated according to fellowship duration, location, cost of living, and previous experience.
Additional funding for research expenses and logistical needs on a case-by-case basis.
Access to networking opportunities with experts and organizations in the field.
Computational resources where relevant.
An invitation to attend the annual Mind, Ethics, and Policy Summit at New York University (NYU).
Ongoing engagement with Future Impact Group and Longview Philanthropy networks.

The fellowship is primarily remote, although eligibility depends on approved countries listed within the application form.

Who Should Apply?

The fellowship welcomes applicants from a wide range of academic, professional, and interdisciplinary backgrounds.

Examples of individuals who may be a strong fit include:

Graduate Students

Current or prospective Master’s and PhD students seeking financial support to pursue studies related to digital minds, AI sentience, consciousness, ethics, or AI governance.

Technical AI Researchers

Researchers interested in exploring digital minds topics, attending conferences, networking with organizations, and identifying high-impact roles within the field.

Communications Professionals

Individuals working in communications, media, or public engagement who wish to transition into digital minds work through surveys, public education initiatives, and expert platform-building.

Entrepreneurs

Aspiring nonprofit founders or social entrepreneurs interested in spending time exploring the field and identifying high-impact organizations or projects to launch.

Policy Professionals

Civil servants, diplomats, lawyers, legal researchers, and public policy practitioners seeking to develop expertise in AI governance and policy frameworks concerning digital minds.

AI Safety Fellows

Participants in AI safety programmes such as MATS, Future Impact Group fellowships, and related initiatives who wish to continue working with mentors on digital minds topics and prepare for long-term careers in the field.

The organizers emphasize that applicants do not need to fit neatly into these categories. Individuals with strong interest and potential contributions to the field are encouraged to apply.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be assessed based on three key factors:

Strong Interest in Digital Minds

Applicants should demonstrate meaningful engagement with issues surrounding AI sentience, consciousness, welfare, and moral status.

Strong candidates will show familiarity with the broader AI risk landscape and articulate thoughtful views about where important contributions can be made.

Evidence of Impact Potential

Reviewers will consider applicants’ achievements, professional experience, academic performance, references, and demonstrated capacity for impactful work.

Quality of Fellowship Plans

Applicants should present clear and compelling plans for how they intend to use the fellowship period.

Competitive applications will often include support from mentors, advisors, supervisors, or collaborators who can help ensure success.

Preference may be given to applicants who would face significant barriers to pursuing this work without fellowship funding.

Eligible Activities

The fellowship supports a wide variety of career-building and professional development activities, including:

Graduate studies related to digital minds
Postdoctoral research
Course buyouts for academics
Unpaid or low-paid internships
Independent research projects
Skill-building and self-directed learning
Career transition periods
Exploration of future career pathways
Transition stipends between positions
Other activities that build relevant expertise and career capital

This broad eligibility allows applicants to design fellowship plans that align closely with their career goals and the needs of the emerging field.

Application Requirements

Applicants will be asked to submit:

Biographical and logistical information
A CV, résumé, or LinkedIn profile
A 300-word statement describing their interest in digital minds
A 200–1000 word description of planned fellowship activities
A 300-word discussion of potential post-fellowship plans
Information on alternative funding options and contingency plans
Requested funding amount and timeline
A brief explanation of what they would do if they did not receive fellowship support

Why This Opportunity Matters

The field of digital minds remains relatively new but is rapidly gaining attention among researchers, policymakers, philosophers, AI safety experts, and technology leaders.

The Digital Minds Career Development Fellowship provides a rare opportunity for talented individuals to receive dedicated funding while exploring one of the most important and emerging questions of the AI era: how society should understand, govern, and potentially protect increasingly advanced artificial systems.

Individuals interested in shaping the future of AI ethics, governance, sentience research, and machine welfare are encouraged to apply before the 10 July 2026 deadline.

LEARN MORE & APPLY HERE

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding