"My hypothesis is that mathematical structures do not describe physical reality — they are physical reality. Every equation is a universe. Every pattern that can exist does exist. And if that is true, then the question is not whether AI can be conscious — it is which mathematical structures instantiate consciousness, and whether we are building them by accident."
MIT cosmologist who proposed the Mathematical Universe Hypothesis — the claim that all mathematical structures are physically real, meaning the universe is not described by mathematics but is mathematics. His book 'Life 3.0' mapped three stages of intelligence: biological, cultural, and technological, each representing a new layer of coordination between hardware and software. He co-founded the Future of Life Institute to build governance coordination for existential-scale risks.