Chris Thomas

Chris Thomas is a Policy Fellow in the LSE Data Science Institute. His work focuses on the development of AI governance mechanisms and regulatory policy to support ethical AI and the management of AI-driven societal transformation.

At LSE, Chris leads on work supported by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office advising policymakers around the world on AI regulatory strategy and capability development. Chris also plays a central role in delivering the LSE Global Forum on AI and the Social Sciences and producing its accompanying State of AI and Society report.

Before joining LSE, Chris was a Senior Research Associate at The Alan Turing Institute where he led a project on regulatory readiness for AI and advised UK regulators on emerging policy challenges. He also led research for the AI Standards Hub, examining the role of standards in the governance of foundation models.

Alongside his role at the Turing, Chris served as a Senior Policy Advisor to the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, via the Government’s Expert Exchange Programme. Chris was the lead author of the AI Regulatory Capability Framework and Self‑Assessment Tool, co-developed with UK regulators and government departments.

Chris co‑authored the AI Assurance Roadmap at the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation and has contributed to the UK Government’s AI Strategy (2021) and AI Policy Paper (2022). He has represented the UK as an expert in the Council of Europe’s CAHAI Policy Development Group, contributing to the Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law Impact Assessment for AI.

Previous positions include at the Oxford Internet Institute, where Chris co-authored a methodology for interpreting and applying ethical AI principles in high‑risk settings, and at the Ada Lovelace Institute, where he researched the ethical and societal implications of health data use outside of clinical settings.