I am an MPhil/PhD researcher in philosophy at King’s College London, working under the supervision of Dr Adrian Alsmith and Professor David Papineau. My research concerns the moral status of artificial systems and draws on moral philosophy, philosophy of mind, metaphysics and AI ethics.
Academic work
My recent academic work began with an MSc in Philosophy of the Social Sciences at the London School of Economics, completed in 2020, followed by an MA in Philosophy of AI at Northeastern University London from 2023 to 2025. My first degree was in economics at the University of Cambridge.
Alongside my central question about AI moral status, I am interested in what increasingly capable AI systems reveal about the nature of understanding, knowledge, agency and thought. I am also interested in the implications of rapid advances in AI for politics, economics and society – issues broadly addressed within the field of AI safety.
Professional background
Before returning to academic study, I spent thirty years in global financial markets. I worked in derivatives, investment banking, financial risk management, financial technology and asset management, including senior positions at Chemical Bank, Merrill Lynch, Pearl Assurance and Guardian Assurance. I was most recently Chief Investment Officer at Guardian Assurance, with responsibility for approximately £17 billion of assets. I continue to hold non-executive and pension trustee roles.
Perspective
My professional background shapes how I approach AI: as a philosophical subject, but also as a developing technology embedded in institutions, incentives and decisions under uncertainty. As in financial markets, I regard understanding and shaping the development of AI systems and their effects on economics and society as, in part, an engineering problem – one in which theory, practice and empirical inquiry are brought together to anticipate and shape outcomes.
My move into philosophy reflects my view that getting these questions right before advanced systems force them upon us is work of exceptional practical importance.