The Oxford Philosophy, Law, and Politics (PLP) Colloquium is an interdisciplinary series that brings together scholars from philosophy, law, politics, and related fields to discuss works in progress by distinguished researchers.
In the 2026–27 academic year, the Colloquium will take a new direction. Reflecting the growing importance of artificial intelligence across all domains of inquiry, the series will focus on cutting-edge AI research of significance for philosophy, law, and politics. Our speakers will be drawn from Oxford and London institutions and will include leading researchers from psychology and neuroscience, philosophy, computer science, and engineering.
The series is cheekily entitled What Philosophers, Lawyers, and Political Theorists Should Know About AI Research. Its aim is to bring scholars working on the technical frontiers of AI into conversation with members of the PLP community. We invite you to come and learn about the AI research being conducted by our Oxford and London colleagues that bears directly on questions of philosophical, legal, and political importance.
Each session will consist of a 45–50 minute non-technical presentation by the invited speaker, followed by discussion and Q&A. No prior technical background or pre-reading is required.
The 2026–27 Colloquium is co-sponsored by the Oxford Institute for Ethics in AI. The series is co-convened by Ruth Chang, David Enoch, and Edward Harcourt. We thank the Hewlett Foundation for funding that makes the Colloquium possible.
Dr Laura Gilbert is Senior Director of AI at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, where she leads the AI Innovation Lab, working with governments worldwide to harness AI for more effective public services and better outcomes for citizens. She is also a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics School of Public Policy.
From September 2020 to January 2025, Laura worked in 10 Downing Street as the founding director of 10DS, the government's data science team, and the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI). Her teams delivered rapid, high-impact modelling and analysis to support policy decisions, while pioneering AI solutions for public services. She was awarded a CBE for Services to Technology and Analysis in the New Year’s Honours 2024.