Robert Trager

Co-Director

Robert F. Trager is Co-Director of the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, International Governance Lead at the Centre for the Governance of AI, and Senior Research Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. He is a recognized expert in the international governance of emerging technologies, diplomatic practice, institutional design, and technology regulation. He regularly advises government and industry leaders on these topics.

Dr. Trager has written two books and numerous articles in leading social science journals, including the American Political Science Review, International Organization, International Security, Foreign Affairs and many others. His award-winning research has been covered in popular press outlets like the New York Times, Economist, Financial Times, Washington Post, NPR, Fortune, Foreign Policy, and Foreign Affairs. From 2017-2021, he was the Assistant Director for Research of the Burkle Center for International Relations. He was Associate Editor of one of the international relations field’s leading journals, the International Studies Quarterly, and sat on the boards of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Conflict, the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab, and the Burkle Center.

Before moving to the University of Oxford, Dr. Trager was Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles and held faculty positions at Yale University and an Olin Fellowship at Harvard University.

Publications

Image for Verification for International AI Governance

Verification for International AI Governance

July 3, 2025
Image for Risk Tiers: Towards a Gold Standard for Advanced AI

Risk Tiers: Towards a Gold Standard for Advanced AI

June 16, 2025
Image for Toward Resisting AI-Enabled Authoritarianism

Toward Resisting AI-Enabled Authoritarianism

May 28, 2025
Image for In Which Areas of Technical AI Safety Could Geopolitical Rivals Cooperate?

In Which Areas of Technical AI Safety Could Geopolitical Rivals Cooperate?

May 23, 2025
Image for Proposal for UN Independent Scientific Panel on AI: Balancing Rigor and Legitimacy

Proposal for UN Independent Scientific Panel on AI: Balancing Rigor and Legitimacy

May 2, 2025
Image for Examining AI Safety as a Global Public Good: Implications, Challenges, and Research Priorities

Examining AI Safety as a Global Public Good: Implications, Challenges, and Research Priorities

March 11, 2025
Image for The Future of the AI Summit Series

The Future of the AI Summit Series

February 3, 2025
Image for Voluntary Industry Initiatives in Frontier AI Governance: Lessons from Aviation and Nuclear Power

Voluntary Industry Initiatives in Frontier AI Governance: Lessons from Aviation and Nuclear Power

January 20, 2025
Image for Open Problems in Machine Unlearning for AI Safety

Open Problems in Machine Unlearning for AI Safety

January 20, 2025
Image for Who Should Develop Which AI Evaluations?

Who Should Develop Which AI Evaluations?

January 14, 2025
Image for International Governance through Domestic Law in the Forthcoming UK Frontier AI Bill

International Governance through Domestic Law in the Forthcoming UK Frontier AI Bill

December 17, 2024
Image for AISIs’ Roles in Domestic and International Governance

AISIs’ Roles in Domestic and International Governance

December 7, 2024
Image for What Should Be Internationalised in AI Governance?

What Should Be Internationalised in AI Governance?

November 13, 2024
Image for Voice and Access in AI: Global AI Majority Participation in Artificial Intelligence Development and Governance

Voice and Access in AI: Global AI Majority Participation in Artificial Intelligence Development and Governance

October 18, 2024
Image for Open Problems in Technical AI Governance

Open Problems in Technical AI Governance

September 20, 2024
Image for The Future of International Scientific Assessments of AI’s Risks

The Future of International Scientific Assessments of AI’s Risks

August 29, 2024
Image for Governing Through the Cloud: The Intermediary Role of Compute Providers in AI Regulation

Governing Through the Cloud: The Intermediary Role of Compute Providers in AI Regulation

March 13, 2024
Image for Structured access for third-party research on frontier AI models: Investigating researchers’ model access requirements

Structured access for third-party research on frontier AI models: Investigating researchers’ model access requirements

October 27, 2023
Image for International Governance of Civilian AI: A Jurisdictional Certification Approach

International Governance of Civilian AI: A Jurisdictional Certification Approach

September 4, 2023