#26 Iwan Williams: Do Language Models Have Intentions?
An episode of the AI and Technology Ethics Podcast podcast, hosted by Roberto Carlos, titled "#26 Iwan Williams: Do Language Models Have Intentions?" was published on January 16, 2026 and runs 87 minutes.
January 16, 2026 ·87m · AI and Technology Ethics Podcast
Summary
In this episode of the AITEC podcast, Sam Bennett speaks with philosopher of mind and AI researcher Iwan Williams about his paper "Intention-like representations in language models?" Williams is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen and received his PhD from Monash University. The conversation explores whether large language models exhibit internal representations that resemble intentions, as distinct from beliefs or credences. Focusing on features such as directive function, planning, and commitment, Williams evaluates several empirical case studies and explains why current models may appear intention-like in some respects while falling short in others. The discussion also considers why intentions matter for communication, safety, and our broader understanding of artificial intelligence. For more, visit ethicscircle.org.
Episode Description
In this episode of the AITEC podcast, Sam Bennett speaks with philosopher of mind and AI researcher Iwan Williams about his paper “Intention-like representations in language models?” Williams is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen and received his PhD from Monash University.
The conversation explores whether large language models exhibit internal representations that resemble intentions, as distinct from beliefs or credences. Focusing on features such as directive function, planning, and commitment, Williams evaluates several empirical case studies and explains why current models may appear intention-like in some respects while falling short in others. The discussion also considers why intentions matter for communication, safety, and our broader understanding of artificial intelligence.
For more, visit ethicscircle.org.
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