We were delighted to lead the technology stream at the 2025 OPEN Forum, which took place at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, on June 24 2025. This event brought together more than 100 experts from across UK government departments, agencies, and academic disciplines to explore a vital question: How can the UK become more resilient to major national risks?
The focus was on key risk areas: Environment and Energy, Human Health, and Technology.
Technology Stream
The technology stream concentrated on the evolving challenges and opportunities at the intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence and how rapid technological change is reshaping power dynamics, economic stability, and national security.
A unifying theme across all sessions was AI cybersecurity, reflecting both its transformative potential and associated risks. Discussions drew on cutting-edge research from the UK's Laboratory of AI Security Research (LASR), insights from the National Cyber Security Centre’s Annual Review 2024, the forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, and the UK's National Cyber Security Strategy.
The stream addressed three core challenges:
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Cybersecurity for AI – How to protect AI systems from attacks and misuse.
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Securing AI Supply Chains – Ensuring trust, transparency, and integrity in the development and deployment of AI technologies.
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AI Opportunities for Cybersecurity – Exploring how AI can enhance threat detection, response, and resilience.
Together, these sessions advanced a critical conversation on how the UK can strengthen its technological resilience in a rapidly changing digital landscape. We were pleased to contribute to this important conversation and look forward to continuing our efforts to enhance the UK’s technological resilience.
