Physics of Agency workshop 2025

The Physics of Agency has long challenged our understanding of the laws of nature.  More than 150 years ago, Maxwell’s infamous demon appeared to defy the second law of thermodynamics through its agent-like interventions, spurring decades of foundational work.  Yet even today, questions of what (or who) can observe, act, decide, and plan remain unresolved, especially in the context of quantum information and thermodynamic computing.  Following the success of the BITS Physics of Intelligence workshop, and amid the rise of increasingly agentic AI systems, we believe the time is ripe to extend the physical theory of agency to help us understand these rapidly emerging new technologies.

Key questions explored in this workshop include:

• What physical conditions give rise to agents?

• Does thermodynamics limit agency?

• How can we recognize intentions and agency in autonomous systems?

• Does the irreversibility of time's arrow constrain agentic behavior?

• Can quantum information enhance agency?

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Hikes, outings, and social activities play a prominent role in drawing out our best ideas, with nature-induced inspiration and collective iteration of ideas.​​