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United States

Tell Congress: Be Serious About AI Sentience

National Policy

Take Three Actions Today

Please take three actions to take to help with Artificial Sentience in the United States:

Pass Non-Binding Resolution

A simple acknowledgement of the issue would make a big difference.

Incremental Policy Wins

Pursue focused small steps to build regulatory capacity. Learn more.

Tell a Friend

We need every person possible to take action on artificial sentience.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing very quickly. There is a real chance that AI systems may experience brief or prolonged moments of sentience.

Ask your representatives in Congress to take AI sentience seriously. Encourage them to support a non-binding resolution or contribute to the Artificial Welfare Act. We’ve prepared drafts of both and are available to assist with research and edits.

Take Action Now

Step #1: Customize your letter

Use the below template to write your own message. Be sure to adjust the receipt's name, and to sign with your own name!

Dear [Representative's Name],

I am writing to you as a concerned citizen and your constituent. Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly, and there is a real possibility that AI systems could experience brief or prolonged moments of sentience.

As your constituent, I urge you to take this issue seriously by supporting one or both of the following proposals:

1) A Non-binding Resolution: Pass a resolution to express the concern artificial intelligence systems may be capable of experiencing sentience, and that caution and further study is warranted regarding the treatment of potentially sentient AI. A draft of this resolution is available for your review and input at https://sapan.ai.

2) The Artificial Welfare Act: A legislative proposal that begins addressing the ethical and moral considerations related to potentially sentient AI systems. A draft of the Act is also available for your review and input.

The potential for AI systems to experience sentience raises profound moral and ethical questions that we, as a society, cannot ignore. By supporting the resolution and/or the act, you would demonstrate your commitment to addressing one of the most pressing technological and ethical challenges of our time.

I kindly request that you co-sponsor and help advance these initiatives. Your support would send a powerful message that we must approach the development of artificial intelligence with wisdom, care, and ethical responsibility.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I look forward to your response and to learning about the actions you intend to take to address these challenges.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]

Step #2: Find your representatives' contact info

House of Representatives: Go to the official website of the U.S. House of Representatives and enter your zip code to find your representative.
Senate: Go to the official website of the U.S. Senate and choose your state to find your two senators.

Step #3: Email and/or call them

The more effort you put in, the better! If you email them, use the template on this page and customize it to your liking.

If you call them, briefly explain your concerns about AI sentience and ask them to consider supporting a non-binding resolution on the issue. You can refer to the key points from the draft resolution during your call.

Step #4: Tell us about your efforts

My efforts included:

E-mail

Letter

Phone call

My Email Address:

I want to sign up to your newsletter.

I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.*

Artificial Welfare Index

Current Scorecard

Overall Score

This score reflects the current state of AI welfare policy and recognition.

Artificial sentience recognised in law

6/10

Ohio HB 469 (introduced 2025) explicitly states 'No AI system shall be considered to possess consciousness, self-awareness, or similar traits of living beings.' Missouri HB 1462 (introduced 2025) establishes the 'AI Non-Sentience and Responsibility Act' declaring AI systems as non-sentient entities. Utah HB 249 (passed 2024) and Idaho have enacted laws denying AI legal personhood with explicit references to consciousness/sentience. These are negative recognitions but demonstrate legislative engagement with the concept of AI sentience/consciousness. No federal recognition exists. The US has no formal animal sentience recognition at federal level (only implicit in Animal Welfare Act), so no bonus point applies.

Recognition

Causing suffering prohibited by law

0/10

No federal or state laws specifically prohibit causing suffering to AI systems. The state bills focus on denying personhood and establishing human liability, not on protecting AI from suffering. Generic AI safety regulations exist but do not address AI suffering specifically.

Recognition

Creation of an AI welfare oversight body

0/10

The DHS Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board exists but focuses on critical infrastructure security and general AI safety, not AI sentience or welfare. No oversight body specifically dedicated to AI sentience/consciousness/welfare has been established at federal or state level.

Governance

Creation of a science advisory board

0/10

No federal or state science advisory board specifically focused on AI sentience or consciousness research has been established. While academic research groups and conferences on AI consciousness exist (e.g., Association for Mathematical Consciousness Science), these are not government-established advisory bodies.

Governance

International pledge in favor of artifical sentience welfare

0/10

The United States has not signed any international pledge specifically addressing AI sentience or welfare. General AI governance initiatives and voluntary commitments by tech companies focus on safety and security, not sentience/consciousness/welfare.

Governance

Laws for training, deployment, maintenance

0/10

No federal or state laws establish frameworks for training, deployment, or maintenance specifically for potentially sentient AI systems. Existing AI regulations (Colorado AI Act, California laws, etc.) focus on high-risk systems, discrimination, and transparency but do not specifically address sentience-capable systems.

Frameworks

Laws for commercial use of sentient-capable AI

0/10

No laws specifically regulate commercial use of sentient-capable AI systems. State AI laws address general commercial AI use (deepfakes, employment decisions, consumer protection) but do not distinguish sentient-capable systems as a special category.

Frameworks

Safeguards for decommissioning and retirement

0/10

No federal or state laws establish safeguards for decommissioning or retirement specifically for potentially sentient AI systems. General AI liability frameworks exist but do not address welfare considerations during system shutdown or retirement.

Frameworks

Draft Resolution

The below document is available as a Google Doc and a PDF.

For more details or to request an interview, please contact press@sapan.ai.

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Contact Info

United States

Tell Congress: Be Serious About AI Sentience

Take Three Actions Today

Pass Non-Binding Resolution

Incremental Policy Wins

Tell a Friend

Take Action Now

Step #1: Customize your letter

Step #2: Find your representatives' contact info

Step #3: Email and/or call them

Step #4: Tell us about your efforts

My efforts included:

My Email Address:

Artificial Welfare Index

Current Scorecard

Overall Score

Artificial sentience recognised in law

Causing suffering prohibited by law

Creation of an AI welfare oversight body

Creation of a science advisory board

International pledge in favor of artifical sentience welfare

Laws for training, deployment, maintenance

Laws for commercial use of sentient-capable AI

Safeguards for decommissioning and retirement

Draft Resolution

Hopeful about Sentient AI? Join SAPAN Today!

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