This PhD project investigates the role of quantum effects in cognition and the nature of intelligence—both artificial and biological. It explores whether quantum-enhanced systems exhibit complexity signatures that could relate to consciousness, using Integrated Information Theory (IIT) as a mathematical framework.

The research will use photonic quantum reservoir computers, which can operate in both classical and quantum regimes, to study how complexity scales with system architecture. IIT and related complexity metrics will be applied to these systems to compare classical vs. quantum scaling laws.

Once established, these scaling laws will be tested against biological systems such as neuron cultures and brain organoids, to determine whether their complexity aligns more closely with classical or quantum models.

The project combines theoretical and experimental approaches, and can be tailored to the student’s strengths. It bridges quantum computing, neuroscience, and philosophy, contributing to the broader debate on consciousness and the future of intelligent systems.