# DeepMind hired a philosopher to decide if machines deserve moral status. The company will answer its own question.

- slug: deepmind-hired-a-philosopher-to-decide-if-machines-deserve-moral-status-the-company-will-answer
- date: 2026-04-14
- category: Artificial Intelligence

The real question DeepMind just spent money answering is not whether machines can be conscious. It is who gets to decide — and whether that person should be a private company with a product roadmap.

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