Leading Scholar in Cognitive Robotics and Artificial Consciousness Research, Professor Antonio Chella, Elected Honorary Academician of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (WAAC)

We are pleased to announce that Professor Antonio Chella, Full Professor of Robotics at the University of Palermo and Director of the RoboticsLab in the School of Engineering, has been elected an Honorary Academician of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (WAAC) in recognition of his sustained pioneering contributions to cognitive robotics and artificial consciousness.

Professor Chella has long been dedicated to translating “computable cognitive mechanisms” into “operational robotic systems.” His work centers on core questions in cognitive robotics, artificial consciousness, and cognitive architectures, and in recent years has further expanded into key pathways such as robot perception and inner speech—advancing machines from merely “being able to act” toward “being able to articulate their internal states and reasoning processes.” As an important academic organizer and driving force in this field, he founded and served as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Machine Consciousness (now renamed the Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness), and has received major academic honors including the James S. Albus Medal awarded by the BICA Society. He has authored more than 200 scholarly publications and has led/coordinated multiple national and international research projects, continuing to shape the research community across intersecting areas such as robot consciousness, computational creativity, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence.

• Global Collaboration and Academic Ecosystem

Academicians of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness hail from 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. Honorary Academicians come from a wide range of countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Spain, and China. In addition, leading scientists from prominent research institutes and technology companies—such as Google, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and ZEEKR—also participate.

• 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.