Dr Gerald Mako
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Biography:
Dr Gerald Mako is a Research Affiliate of the Cambridge Central Asia Forum. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and great power competition in Asia.
A central pillar of Gerald’s work addresses how the accelerating global race in AI-driven capabilities is altering traditional calculations of risk, deterrence, and long-term geopolitical advantage. His scholarship has contributed to multilateral debates on regulatory frameworks for AI, advocating balanced approaches that combine prohibitions on systems unable to comply with international humanitarian law with robust requirements for meaningful human control, accountability, and ethical use.
Gerald received his PhD in Development Studies from Cambridge, has held visiting fellowships at Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, and has delivered guest lectures on four continents. Beyond academia, he has worked extensively with international organisations including UNDP, the Gates Foundation, WHO, and the Commonwealth Secretariat. Through advisory roles with European and Asian governments, he has helped shape national strategies on cyber resilience, countering authoritarian information manipulation, and the responsible governance of AI.