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Anil Seth Keynote Speaker

Neuroscientist and Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex
Author of Sunday Times Top 10 bestseller 'Being You: A New Science of Consciousness'
His TED Talk, 'Your brain hallucinates your conscious reality', has over 14 million views

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Anil Seth's Biography

Anil Seth is a neuroscientist, author, and public speaker who has pioneered research into the brain basis of consciousness for more than twenty-five years.

He is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience and Director of the Centre for Consciousness Science at the University of Sussex, Co-Director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Program on Brain, Mind and Consciousness, a European Research Council Advanced Investigator, and fomer Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Neuroscience of Consciousness.

He has published more than 200 research papers and has been recognized by Web of Science, over several years, as being in the top 0.1% of researchers worldwide. A former Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellow, in 2023 he was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for his services to public outreach.

His two TED talks have been viewed more than sixteen million times, he has appeared in several films, and he has written for Aeon, The Guardian, Granta, New Scientist, and Scientific American, and he is lead scientist on the Dreamachine project. Prospect Magazine listed him as one of the Top 25 global thinkers for 2024.

His book Being You: A New Science of Consciousness was an instant Sunday Times Bestseller and a 2021 Book of the Year for The Economist, The New Statesman, Bloomberg Business, The Guardian, The Financial Times and elsewhere.

The new science of consciousness

What is consciousness and how can it be explained? Anil will show how the new science of consciousness is dissolving this most obstinate, yet also most familiar of mysteries, and he’ll reveal its striking implications for how we live.

Being You - the science of perception and self

Anil shares his mind-bending insights into how we experience the world around us, and ourselves within it. His talk will turn what you thought you knew about yourself on its head.

Machine minds

As artificial intelligence grows increasingly powerful and prevalent, Anil shares his unique perspectives on its development, busts many myths about the idea of ‘conscious machines’, and will leave you with a new appreciation for what it means to be human.

How to build a dreamachine

Anil will use his experiences as lead scientist on the ground-breaking Dreamachine project to explore how art and science together can shed new light on the human condition, and help each of better understand the power and potential of our own minds and how we relate to each other.

TED Conference 2017 | Your brain hallucinates your conscious reality

The Royal Institution | Is Reality a Controlled Hallucination? - with Anil Seth

TED | How your brain invents your "self"

The Institute of Art and Ideas | Can science explain consciousness and reality | Anil Seth

Articles, Media & Podcasts

The real problem - Article on consciousness by Anil Seth

Aeon

Interview with Anil Seth

The Guardian

Consciousness and the Self - A Conversation with Anil K. Seth [Podcast]

Making Sense with Sam Harris - Podcast

25 thinkers for a world on the brink

Prospect Magazine

Books by Anil Seth

Being You: A New Science of Consciousness (2021)

30-Second Brain: The 50 most mind-blowing ideas in neuroscience, each explained in half a minute (2014)

Eye Benders: The Science of Seeing & Believing (2013)

Comments & Testimonials

“Anil’s work has helped us meet our mission at TED in two key ways… Firstly our motto at TED is “Ideas worth spreading” and I would say Anil’s original approach to consciousness is one of those ideas worth spreading… Secondly, my goal as TED science curator is to demystify science or reduce the barriers so people are less intimidated by science and are less dismissive of their ability to grasp truly scientific concepts. I think Anil hits the marks on both those fronts for us, which explains why his talk is so popular”.

David Biello TED’s science curator

“We felt the audience could understand these really challenging concepts if Anil were guiding them through these complex ideas. He is a really good explainer in this particular field of neuroscience and we researched lots of different people. In fact there is no-one else we are speaking to in this capacity anywhere else in the world.”

Lucy Walker Oscar-nominated, Emmy-award-winning film maker

“Anil was the perfect keynote speaker for dConstruct serving up a nutritious meal for the mind, somehow managing to make complex topics not just understandable, but downright fun!”

Jeremy Keith Co-Founder, Clearleft Media

“Dr. Anil Seth is a gifted public intellectual. His explanations of the biological basis of consciousness in plain language have been a groundbreaking and invaluable contribution to public discourse. Beyond this, how effortlessly he is able to translate complex contemporary neuroscience research for lay audiences – with a great deal of humor, to boot – is a testament to his mastery over his subject matter. For me, Dr. Seth has been an important interlocutor over the years, particularly given my interest in the viability of arriving at a model of human decision making in the context of international peace and security work. In this regard, his capacity and openness to think across disciplines are a boon to the rest of us and the world a better place for them.”

Daanish T. Masood Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, United Nations

“It was a pleasure to work with Anil at the World Summit AI, for his in-conversation plenary event with me. The way he phrased and designed a conversation around consciousness is nothing short of superb. He is an incredible thinker and a warm, engaging speaker - a natural on stage, forging an immediate connection with those listening. What I enjoyed most about our interaction is that he took the time to listen to those around him, despite the varied background and levels of experience in the audience. He effortlessly created space for questions and curiosity, which is a real gift.”

Jos Dirckx World Summit AI, 2022

“Anil's engaging and thought-provoking presentations are so well received that we have had him back to speak at multiple different events, both in-person and virtual. We plan to invite him to speak at more events.”

Todd Zabelle Founder and President, Strategic Project Solutions (SPS) Inc.