Politics of the Machines - Synthetic Sentience. Perth 2025

What does it mean to be sentient—and who gets to decide?

Join us for the 2025 POM Conference, where thinkers, makers, and boundary-pushers come together to explore sentience in all its strange, beautiful, and unsettling forms. From artificial intelligence and autonomous machines to brain organoids and lab-grown meat, we’re diving into the messy crossroads of science, art, ethics, and culture.

Whether you’re decoding algorithms, building synthetic life, writing speculative fiction, or just asking big, weird questions—this is your space.

Expect unexpected tracks, uncomfortable questions, and unforgettable conversations.

Let’s reimagine what sentience means in a world where machines can learn, brains can grow in dishes, and art might feel more than we ever expected.

Find out more: https://www.pomconference.org/pom-perth-2025/

Closing Night Reception – Optional Add-On

Join us on the 18th for a closing reception to POM 2025, held at the Art Gallery of WA alongside Revivification - an immersive art exhibition exploring the blurred boundaries where organic matter, synthetic systems, and sonic echoes converge.

This optional evening event offers a chance to explore the exhibition, enjoy light canapés, and continue conversations sparked across the conference in a more relaxed setting.

Additional registration and cost apply. Spaces are limited.

Conference and Closing Reception registrations close: 15 June