Some opponents of model licensing argue that government regulation of models increases concentration of power risks. Is this true, and if so, what can be done?
About the project
Since June 2026, the US government is willing to use export control authorities to restrict access to frontier models. As observers have pointed out, the US government now has an ad hoc licensing regime.
A licensing regime appears increasingly plausible, if not likely. Thus, it is important to consider how this scheme would increase concentration of power risks.
In this project, you will identify and analyze the various concentration of power risks that derive from model licensing.
Theory of change
Model licensing may be a robust way to constrain unsafe model internal and external deployments. However, there are plausible authoritarian risks associated with scheme. This project will help identify and analyze those risks to prepare for them.
Your role
Mentees will draft and execute the deliverable for this project. Mentees will work with me to scope and outline the structure of the project, but will have significant research and writing autonomy.
Prerequisites
- Significant understanding of AI safety fundamentals
- Familiarity with theories of authoritarianism and state power
Application question(s)
Provide a link to one or more relevant writing samples, ideally from a research context.
About the mentor
Alex is currently a research fellow with Cambridge ERA:AI. Previously, he was a research fellow with the Cambridge Boston Alignment Initiative. Before pivoting to AI safety, he was a public defender in Los Angeles County and later a housing attorney with Greater Boston Legal Services.