Mark Brakel

Mark Brakel is Director of Policy at the Future of Life Institute (FLI), where he leads the organization's global policy team in advising governments on how to responsibly navigate the challenges and opportunities of increasingly advanced artificial intelligence. His work focuses on developing governance frameworks that promote beneficial AI while mitigating associated risks. He has briefed a range of high-level institutions and decision-making bodies, including the United Nations expert group on autonomous weapons in Geneva, the European Parliament, and the Defence Committee of the German Bundestag. His insights on AI policy have been featured by major international media outlets, such as Politico, Fox News, BBC World, Der Spiegel, and NRC Handelsblad. Prior to joining FLI, Mark worked as a diplomat for the Dutch government, with postings in The Hague and at the Dutch Embassy in Iraq, where he contributed to the development of an entrepreneurship program for young Iraqis. He also ran for the Dutch Parliament in a national election. Mark holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford and a Master’s in International Relations from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University. He is a former Fulbright Fellow.