Professor John Tasioulas

Director of the Institute for Ethics in AI & Professor of Ethics, AI2050 Senior Fellow, Professor of Ethics & Legal Philosophy at the University of Oxford & Member of the Prime Minister of Greece’s High-Level Advisory on AI

John Tasioulas’s Biography:

John Tasioulas is the inaugural Director of the Institute for Ethics in AI and Professor of Ethics and Legal Philosophy at the University of Oxford. An internationally recognised scholar of moral and legal philosophy, John is widely sought for his expertise on human rights, international law and the ethical governance of artificial intelligence. As a Senior Fellow of Schmidt Science’s AI2050 Programme and a member of the Prime Minister of Greece’s High-Level Advisory Committee on AI, he plays a central role in shaping global debates on responsible AI.

A Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, John began his academic career as a Lecturer in Jurisprudence at the University of Glasgow. He later became Reader in Moral and Legal Philosophy at Oxford and Tutorial Fellow in Philosophy at Corpus Christi College. His distinguished academic trajectory continued with appointments as Quain Professor of Jurisprudence at University College London and inaugural Yeoh Professor of Politics, Philosophy and Law at The Dickson Poon School of Law. He also served as Director of the Yeoh Tiong Lay Centre for Politics, Philosophy and Law, strengthening interdisciplinary scholarship across law and philosophy.

In 2020, John returned to Oxford to establish and lead the Institute for Ethics in AI, positioning it as a global hub for rigorous research on the moral challenges posed by emerging technologies. He serves on the editorial boards of leading journals, including the American Journal of Jurisprudence and the Journal of Applied Philosophy. His international profile includes visiting appointments at Harvard University, the Australian National University, the University of Chicago and the University of Melbourne. He is also an Honorary Professorial Fellow at Melbourne Law School, Emeritus Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Distinguished Research Fellow of the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and Consultant on Human Rights to the World Bank.

John has delivered prestigious lectures including the Natural Law Lecture at Notre Dame Law School, the ‘Or’ Emet Lecture at Osgoode Hall Law School and the Harold T. Shapiro Lecture at Princeton University. He co-edited The Philosophy of International Law and is a member of the Academia Europaea. His contributions have influenced policy discussions within the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology and global institutions grappling with the ethical implications of AI.

Why Hire John Tasioulas?

John is hired as a speaker for his exceptional ability to articulate the ethical foundations of artificial intelligence, human rights and the rule of law. As Director of the Institute for Ethics in AI, he brings authoritative academic leadership to conversations about responsible innovation and global governance.

His keynote speeches for institutions such as the University of Oxford and the Harvard Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, alongside his TEDx talk “Why AI is a Threat – and How to Use it For Good“, demonstrate his capacity to engage diverse audiences with clarity and intellectual rigour. He equips leaders, policymakers and organisations with principled frameworks for navigating the moral complexities of emerging technologies.

John Tasioulas’s Career Highlights:

Here are some of the key milestones that define John Tasioulas’s impressive career:

• 2025 – Professor John Tasioulas participated in the Ethics in AI Colloquium at Oxford University’s Institute for Ethics in AI
• 2023 – Delivered the Harold T. Shapiro Lecture on Ethics, Science and Technology at Princeton University.
• 2020 – Appointed inaugural Director of the Institute for Ethics in AI and Professor of Ethics and Legal Philosophy at the University of Oxford.
• 2016 – Delivered the Van Hasselt Lecture at TU Delft on philosophy and technology.
• 2014 – Became Director of the Yeoh Tiong Lay Centre for Politics, Philosophy and Law at University College London.
• 2014 – Appointed inaugural Yeoh Professor of Politics, Philosophy and Law at The Dickson Poon School of Law, UCL.
• 2012 – Delivered the Natural Law Lecture at Notre Dame Law School.
• 2011 – Delivered the ‘Or’ Emet Lecture at Osgoode Hall Law School.
• 2011 – Appointed Quain Professor of Jurisprudence at University College London.
• 2010 – Co-Edited The Philosophy of International Law, contributing to scholarship in global legal theory.
• 1998 – Appointed Reader in Moral and Legal Philosophy at the University of Oxford and Tutorial Fellow at Corpus Christi College.