What kind of human control is necessary for AI applications within national security and defence?
ESRC Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) collaborative doctoral studentship.
The Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory – Dstl, UK Ministry of Defence.
SUPERVISORS
Dr Mariarosaria Taddeo, Lead supervisor – Oxford Internet Institute.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The ESRC Grand Union DTP is awarding a collaborative doctoral studentship based in the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University. It is being offered in conjunction with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory – Dstl, UK Ministry of Defence. Dstl, is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) which provides world-class expertise and delivers cutting-edge science and technology for the benefit of the nation and allies.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can improve security and defence capabilities ranging from logistics to target recognition, combat simulation and operation, and threat monitoring. This potential is coupled with serious legal and ethical challenges which, if left unaddressed, could pose significant problems for our societies, like escalation of conflicts, waging of unjust conflicts, and leaving unaddressed the responsibility gap for the use of AI.
These ethical challenges can be addressed successfully. And understanding what it is, and how to implement, human control of AI applications in the security and defence domain is a necessary (albeit not sufficient) step toward to this end. While there is an agreement on the need to ensure control on AI, there is less clarity on
(i) What are the appropriate forms of control to drive legal compliant and ethically sound uses of AI systems in the security and defence domain?
(ii) How to implement effective control over AI systems, which are often non-transparent and non-predictable?
(iii) What measures can be deployed to ensure that human control of AI systems is effective while not hindering technological and operational superiority of national security and defence capabilities?
These are the three research questions that this project addresses. They delineate a multidisciplinary problem space, covering independent, and yet synergetic, areas of investigation including normative values for information societies, just war theory, humanitarian law, and AI ethics (e.g. transparency and attribution of responsibility). Hence the project would be a best fit for a candidate with expertise in one or more fields, like war studies and just war theory, digital ethics, international relations, and social sciences. A basic understanding of AI technology will also be necessary to undertake this project.
The DPhil scholarship will be funded by the ESRC Grand Union DTP in collaboration with the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. The scholarship will last three years starting October 2021. The student will be based in the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. They will be supervised by Professor Mariarosaria Taddeo and supported by an expert of UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
PARTNERSHIP
The project is co-funded and will be developed in collaboration with Defence Science and Technology Laboratory – Dstl, UK Ministry of Defence, the funding will be sent via Turing Innovation Limited.
Dstl is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) providing world-class expertise and delivering cutting-edge science and technology for the benefit of the nation and allies. Dstl is one of the principal government organisations dedicated to science and technology in the defence and security field. It supplies specialist services to MOD and wider government, working collaboratively with external partners in industry and academia worldwide, providing expert research, specialist advice and operational support.
The collaboration with Dstl will enable to develop research with strong roots in the domain of security and defence and pave the way for its results to have a deep impact on the relevant policies and practices shaping the use of AI in this context. Dstl will provide an induction programme for the student to build understanding of Dstl expertise, best practices and areas of work. To facilitate collaboration and transfer of technical and domain knowledge, the student will spend a minimum of 3 months over the course of the DPhil (on average, one week per term) engaging directly with Dstl staff; either on site or remotely. A dedicated Dstl supervisor will be allocated, opportunities to engage with subject matter experts across disciplines will also be provided, and a mutually-beneficial relationship will be promote.
STUDENTSHIP DETAILS
The PhD studentship will be funded by the Grand Union DTP for an expected 3 years from October 2021. The award length offered may differ depending on the candidate’s prior training and how they meet ESRC training requirements. The project is more suited to full-time study, but applications will be considered from part-time candidates where proposed arrangements would be a good fit for the project.
Information about Grand Union DTP ESRC studentships and eligibility can be found on the Grand Union DTP website.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Midday, Friday 5th February 2021.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for the studentship, you must submit an application to study for a DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences at the University of Oxford by midday, 5th February 2021.
Details about applying can be found via https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/dphil-information-communication-and-social-sciences.
Full-time candidates: To submit an application after the main University admissions deadline (22 January 2021) please do so via https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/courses-open-for-studentships.
Part-time candidates: To submit an application after the main University admissions deadline (22 January 2021) please contact the Oxford Institute Institute directly at: admissions@oii.ox.ac.uk
Your application should include a research proposal that indicates how your proposed research would engage with the core elements of this project if you were offered the studentship. Your proposal may draw on the description of the research detailed above.
In addition you must complete a Grand Union DTP Application Form and upload it, together with your graduate application form. Please upload your Grand Union DTP Application Form as your final transcript on the supporting documents tab.
The admissions process is in two parts: the applicant will be assessed as part of the applicant pool for the Oxford Internet Institute; the selected candidate will then be assessed as part of the applicant pool for the ESRC Grand Union DTP funding.
QUERIES
Queries about the studentship should be addressed to: mariarosaria.taddeo@oii.ox.ac.uk
