Center for Security and Emerging Technology
In plain wordsA Georgetown University think tank in Washington, D.C., whose researchers advise the US government on AI and national security, paying special attention to China and to the chip supply chain.
A Washington think tank, housed in Georgetown University's foreign-service school, that writes quantitative, evidence-heavy studies of AI and other new technologies for officials responsible for national security. Its work covers AI talent and immigration, the Chinese AI ecosystem — including translations of Chinese policy documents and studies of Chinese military AI procurement — the semiconductor supply chain, AI safety assessment, and AI in biotechnology and cybersecurity. Its analyses of chokepoints in chipmaking equipment informed the design of US export controls on AI chipsexport controls on AI chips, n.: Government rules that limit which countries and companies may buy the most advanced AI chips and the machines used to make them. The United States uses them mainly to slow China's progress in AI. (2022), and several of its researchers moved into government posts. Its funding from effective-altruisteffective altruism, n.: A movement that treats charity like a research problem, comparing causes by how much good each dollar or working hour achieves; many of its members came to rank risks from advanced AI as a top priority. philanthropy, chiefly Open PhilanthropyOpen Philanthropy, prop. n.: A large American charitable foundation, renamed Coefficient Giving in 2025, that has been the biggest private funder of research on the risks of advanced AI., has drawn criticism. Helen Toner, who took charge of it in 2025, was among the OpenAI board members who removed Sam Altman as chief executive in November 2023.
Origin
Launched in January 2019 with a founding grant of about $55 million from the Open Philanthropy Project, under founding director Jason Matheny, a former director of the US Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). Dewey Murdick later served as executive director until 2025.
Related
- export controls on AI chipsexport controls on AI chips, n.: Government rules that limit which countries and companies may buy the most advanced AI chips and the machines used to make them. The United States uses them mainly to slow China's progress in AI.
- AI governanceAI governance, n.: The rules, institutions and habits that shape how AI is built and used — from laws and treaties to technical standards and a company's own review processes.
- Open PhilanthropyOpen Philanthropy, prop. n.: A large American charitable foundation, renamed Coefficient Giving in 2025, that has been the biggest private funder of research on the risks of advanced AI.
- compute governancecompute governance, n.: Using control over the computer chips and data centers that AI depends on — who can buy them, where they go, how they are used — as a way to oversee powerful AI.
- AI arms raceAI arms race, n.: A competition among countries or companies to build the most powerful AI first, in which fear of falling behind pushes everyone to move faster and cut corners on safety.
Mentioned in
Centre for the Governance of AICentre for the Governance of AI, prop. n.: A research organization, based in Britain, that studies how governments and companies should handle the dangers of advanced AI and the large economic and political changes it could cause., Open PhilanthropyOpen Philanthropy, prop. n.: A large American charitable foundation, renamed Coefficient Giving in 2025, that has been the biggest private funder of research on the risks of advanced AI., RAND CorporationRAND Corporation, prop. n.: An American research organization, long funded mainly by the US government, where early AI programs were written and which now advises governments on AI and security.