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We are pleased to announce that Steven Pinker—Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and a renowned cognitive scientist—has been elected an Honorary Academician of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (WAAC), in recognition of his outstanding contributions to language, cognition, and the computational theory of mind, as well as his sustained impact on public reason and science communication.
Steven Pinker is a professor in Harvard’s Department of Psychology whose research spans visual cognition, psycholinguistics, and social cognition. A leading advocate of the “computational mind” and evolutionary psychology, he has articulated the view that the mind is an information-processing system shaped by natural selection, providing a theoretical framework for understanding human cognition and building intelligent systems. His research and books on language acquisition, the structure of the mind, and rationality have exerted a lasting influence on both public discourse and academic debates about human nature and reason.
- Global Collaboration and Academic Ecosystem
The Academicians of WAAC come from universities and research institutions such as Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Cambridge, the University of California, the French Academy of Sciences, the University of Padua, the University of Queensland, Columbia University, and the University of Exeter, among others. Honorary Academicians represent multiple countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Spain, and China. Additionally, leading scientists from renowned research institutions and technology companies—such as Google, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and Zeekr—are also involved.
- About WAAC
The World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (https://www.waac.ac/) is a global academic institution established in Paris in 2025. Its mission is to advance frontier research and international collaboration in artificial consciousness through the integration of science, technology, and philosophy. The Academy publishes open research, policy recommendations, evaluation standards, and more. The current President is Academician Yucong Duan, and the Secretary-General is Dr. Yingbo Li. The Honorary Academician List: On May 3, 2025, WAAC released its first batch of Top 100 Honorary Academicians, recognizing scholars who have made foundational or leading contributions to the theory of artificial consciousness.