Logo

Programme overview

The need for safe and secure technology has never been more urgent. The Oxford Programme for Cyber and Technology Policy (OxCTP) helps governments navigate the digital frontier by fostering the responsible adoption of emerging technologies. Through targeted research, stakeholder alignment, and real-world testing, OxCTP delivers evidence-based solutions that harness AI and other technologies for the public good.

The programme’s initial focus is the intersection of AI and cybersecurity, with a two-year research initiative funded by Open Philanthropy to explore how governments can collaborate with frontier AI organisations to protect advanced AI systems from cyber theft (more information below).

OxCTP will also convene leaders from across the technology and policy communities to facilitate dialogue, identify shared priorities, and foster a more nuanced approach to the governance of emerging technologies. Through the Global Tech Policy Seminar Series, the programme brings together academics, policymakers, and industry experts to address issues such as the evolving cyber landscape, data privacy, the risks of cloud concentration, and the role of AI in national security.

The Oxford Programme for Cyber and Technology Policy is co-directed by Professor Ciaran Martin and Dr Brianna Rosen.

Digital, Cyber and AI
Project dates
-
Research

Securing advanced AI Systems from cyber theft: aligning stakeholders with security measures

The history of the digital age demonstrates that policymakers often struggle to assign responsibility for security and safety until long after new technologies have been adopted, putting individuals and society at risk. This research project aims to provide a roadmap for policymakers to work together with frontier AI organisations to secure advanced AI systems from cyber theft.

As advanced AI systems become more capable, there is an increased risk that these systems will be subject to theft, manipulation, and abuse by malicious actors. The RAND Corporation has proposed security level benchmarks to guide frontier AI organisations in protecting their advanced systems from potential threats. Yet implementing these benchmarks presents key challenges. How can the benchmark security measures be achieved in practice? What actions should governments take to translate the security measures into voluntary commitments and emerging AI regulatory regimes?

Guided by these questions, the project will:

  • Estimate the quantitative cost of interventions for achieving the security level benchmarks detailed in the RAND study;
  • Examine incentive structures and institutional practices within AI companies that promote or inhibit the ability of achieving the security levels; and
  • Determine what level and form of government intervention is required.

The project will produce a final report offering a blueprint for securing advanced AI systems from cyber theft. Bringing together leading experts in AI and cybersecurity, the project seeks to establish a model for public-private collaboration and drive innovative approaches to learning and governance on AI security.

The project is supported by Open Philanthropy.

Events

In an era of growing technological competition and geopolitical uncertainty, the need to bridge the gap between technologists and policymakers has never been more vital.

The Global Tech Policy Seminar Series brings together thought leaders from government, academia, and the private sector to address the challenges and opportunities presented by rapid technological innovation.

The series seeks to foster open dialogue and debate around three key questions:

  • How can governments keep pace with increasingly sophisticated cyber risks while safeguarding critical infrastructure in today’s interconnected world?
  • What strategic considerations are essential for the responsible deployment of AI, quantum computing, and other transformative technologies?
  • How are technological advancements reshaping national security and the global economy amidst rising geopolitical competition?

Please check back for updates as speakers will be added regularly.

12 March 2025, 5:00-6.30pm

Dr Richard Horne, CEO, UK National Cyber Security Centre

View event

26 March 2025, 5:00-6:30pm

Troy Hunt, Founder and CEO, Have I Been Pwned, and Microsoft Regional Director

View event

9 May 2025, 5:00-6:30pm

David Koh, Commissioner of Cybersecurity and Chief Executive of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore

View event

21 May 2025, 5:00-6.30pm 

Katrina Mulligan, National Security Lead for OpenAI and former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense 

View event

10 June 2025, 3:00-4:30pm

  • Jen Easterly, former Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
  • Margrethe Vestager, Blavatnik World Leaders Fellow and former Vice President of the European Commission
  • Professor Michael Woolridge, Ashall Professor of the Foundations of Artificial Intelligence, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford

September 2025 (TBC)

Professor Eviatar Matania, Professor at the School of Political Science, Government and International Affairs, Tel-Aviv University, and founder and former Director General of the Israel National Cyber Directorate.

The seminar series is funded by Just Security.

People

Events

Contact

For more information about the Institute or to discuss potential areas of collaboration, please contact Dr Brianna Rosen.