Cybersecurity & Tech

Lawfare Daily: Cullen O’Keefe on the Impending Wave of AI Agents

Kevin Frazier, Renee DiResta, Cullen O'Keefe, Jen Patja
Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 7:00 AM
What are AI agents and how do we ensure they operate safely?

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Cullen O’Keefe, Research Director at the Institute for Law and AI, joins Kevin Frazier, AI Innovation and Law Fellow at Texas Law and a Contributing Editor at Lawfare, and Renée DiResta, Associate Research Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown and a Contributing Editor at Lawfare, to discuss a novel AI governance framework. They dive into a paper he co-authored on the concept of "Law-Following AI" or LFAI. That paper explores a near-term future. Imagine AI systems capable of tackling complex computer-based tasks with expert human-level skill. The potential for economic growth, scientific discovery, and improving public services is immense. But how do we ensure these powerful tools operate safely and align with our societal values? That’s the question at the core of Cullen’s paper and this podcast,

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Kevin Frazier is an AI Innovation and Law Fellow at UT Austin School of Law and Contributing Editor at Lawfare .
Renée DiResta is an Associate Research Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown. She is a contributing editor at Lawfare.
Cullen O'Keefe is the Director of Research at the Institute for Law & AI (LawAI) and a Research Affiliate at the Centre for the Governance of AI. Cullen's research focuses on legal and policy issues arising from general-purpose AI systems, with a focus on risks to public safety, global security, and rule of law. Prior to joining LawAI, he worked in various policy and legal roles at OpenAI over 4.5 years.
Jen Patja is the editor and producer of the Lawfare Podcast and Rational Security. She currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of Virginia Civics, a nonprofit organization that empowers the next generation of leaders in Virginia by promoting constitutional literacy, critical thinking, and civic engagement. She is the former Deputy Director of the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier and has been a freelance editor for over 20 years.
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