Securing the UK's AI research ecosystem

Hughes, Megan, Mercer, Sarah, Harris, Alexander, Benzie, Annie, Williams, Sam and Kenneison, Elfreda 2026. Securing the UK's AI research ecosystem. Walker-Munro, Brendan and Shih, Tommy, eds. The Routledge International Handbook of Research Security, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 408-434. (10.4324/9781003583431-25)

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Abstract

‘AI is a valuable dual-use technology. The UK’s world-leading AI research ecosystem is, therefore, a high-priority target for state threat actors seeking technological advantage. AI research develops rapidly, and early-stage academic research is often informal and collaborative. This creates opportunities for state threat actors to acquire knowledge or steal intellectual property (IP) with the intention of using UK-developed research and capabilities for malicious purposes. This threat requires an urgent, coordinated response from the UK Government and the higher education sector. To develop mitigations, they will need to strike a balance between the open nature of academic AI research and effective research security practices. This report explores the current constraints on AI research security and makes 13 recommendations for building the resilience of the UK’s academic AI sector.

Item Type:	Book Section
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	Routledge
ISBN:	9781032951591
Last Modified:	04 Aug 2026 21:35
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/187414

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