OE in high places: Government advisor’s new book on AI and international security
Old Elizabethan Dr James Johnson’s forthcoming book will complete a trilogy on AI and the future of conflict.
James (OE 1987-1994), a leading academic, regularly advises the US, UK, and EU governments on AI and nuclear policy.
Although he has risen to become Senior Lecturer and Director of Strategic Studies at the University of Aberdeen, he spent 20 years working in the financial sector before moving into academia – an experience he says shaped his understanding of global affairs and the importance of adaptability.
“If there’s one thing I’d say to current QE pupils,” he said, “it’s that careers rarely follow a straight line. Be curious, take risks, and don’t be afraid to change direction when something new captures your interest.”
James looks back fondly on his time at QE, where “a few great teachers” sparked his interest in history and world politics. “Those lessons in critical thinking and debate have stayed with me ever since.”
At Aberdeen, James leads research on the intersection of artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and international security.
He is also the founding Director of the Strategic Studies Network (SSN), an Honorary Fellow at the University of Leicester, and works with several international projects and advisory groups — including the European Research Council’s Towards a Third Nuclear Age project, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, and the Global Commission on Responsible AI in the Military Domain at the Hague.
Public sector organisations he advises include the UK Office for AI, the US Department of Defense, and NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group.
His research has appeared in leading journals and policy outlets. The three books he has written on AI and future warfare are published by Oxford University Press and Manchester University Press. The final volume in the trilogy is called Machines at the Brink, published by OUP.
- Find out more about James’s work at jamesjohnsonphd.com and his University of Aberdeen profile.