Broderick James McDonald
Broderick James McDonald is a behavioural scientist at the University of Oxford, Kings College London, and The Alan Turing Institute. His work focuses on countering national security threats and catastrophic from from terrorism, harmful manipulation, hybrid warfare, and counterintelligence. Over the past decade, he has worked on these issues across government, tech, and civil society. His research & commentary have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The National Interest, among others. Alongside research, Broderick frequently provides expert analysis for a range of international news broadcasters, including ABC News, BBC News, CBC News, Good Morning America, BBC America, PBS News, The National, France24, and Al Jazeera News
Broderick's research focuses on countering global security threats from terrorism, extremism, hybrid warfare, foreign influence operations, and counterintelligence. Over the past decade, his work has covered both the online & offline aspects of these challenges using quantitative and qualitative methods ranging from computational social science, to behavioural science, and ethnographic fieldwork
Who is Broderick James McDonald?
Broderick James McDonald is a writer, researcher, and speaker. He is currently a Research Fellow at Kings College London's XCEPT Research Programme, and a Senior Research Associate at the Oxford Emerging Threats Group. Outside of this, he is a Visiting Fellow at The Alan Turing Institute's Centre for Emerging Technology & Security (CETaS) where his work focuses on national security risks and countering high-severity adversarial threats from terrorism, extremism, counterintelligence, foreign influence operations, and hybrid warfare. He was previously a researcher with Stanford's Mapping Militant Program and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Genocide Prevention & Other Crimes Against Humanity. He has also held fellowships with the United Nations and The Aspen Institute (UK). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. and an Associate Member of Chatham House in London.
As the director of the Oxford Advisory Group (OAG), Broderick leads a small team of Oxford academics who provide strategic advice on geopolitical risk, investment security, GTM planning, emergency preparedness, and access to on-the-ground data collection and physical entry within conflict-affected regions across the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel, and Central Asia. By combining years of on-the-ground experience with leading OSINT methodologies and machine learning tools, Oxford Advisory delivers unparalleled access and insights into some of the most difficult-to-reach regions on the planet.
His work focuses on behavioural science, AI safety, and violence prevention, both online and offline. He previously lived in the Middle East and has conducted extensive interviews with armed combatants and foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and combatants from ISIS, Al Qaeda affiliates, HTS, YPJ and other armed groups. Broderick has previously done fieldwork across the Middle East and Central Asia, including Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and has organised both Large-N quantitative behavioural surveys as well as ethnographic and qualitative research projects. His research has been funded by the University of Oxford, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, CIBC, Chenomics International, Kings College London, the American Center of Research (ACOR), the UK AI Safety Institute (AISI), Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) and the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
He currently serves on the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT)'s Independent Advisory Committee, an initative established by Meta, Google, Microsoft, and other technology platforms to counter terrorist misuse of the internet. Outside of this, he serves on the GLOCA Board of Advisors, the EU's VOX-Pol Network of Excellence leadership team, and the Aspen Institute UK's RLF Advisory Board. Alongside his research, Broderick has advised governments, NGOs, law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies, international prosecutors, parliamentarians, AI Security Institutes, frontier AI labs, and social media platforms on security threats and emerging technologies
Broderick's academic research has been published by The Stimson Center, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), US Military Academy at West Point's Modern War Institute (MWI), New York University (NYU) Reiss Center's Just Security, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), The Oxford Emerging Threats Group (ETG), Kings College London, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), Global Network on Extremism and Terrorism (GNET), Centtre for National Security & Statecraft, FCDO's Cross-Border Conflict Evidence Policy and Trends (XCEPT) Research Programme, the Alan Turing Institute, Center for Emerging Technology & Security (CETaS), amongst others. Broderick was previously an Associate Fellow of the Global Network on Extremism & Technology (GNET), and the Extremism and Gaming Research Network (EGRN), and the All Tech is Human Responsible AI Working Group. He is a research affiliate of the Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP) at the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) and the TSAS Research Network. He was previously as Associate Fellow at Kings College London's International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) and a co-founder of the Oxford Disinformation & Extremism Lab (OxDEL). He holds an Master's Degree from the University of Cambridge where he was a Prime Minister Mackenzie King Scholar. Broderick was recently named as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and is an Associate Member of Chatham House in London.
Research Interests
AI Safety & Online Harms
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Harmful Manipulation
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AI Information Threats
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Foreign Influence Operations
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Terrorism and Violent Extremist Content (TVEC)
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Open Source Intellligence (OSINT)
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Memory Augmented Models (MaMs)
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Cryptography
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Evaluation Analaysis
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Adversarial Robustness
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Classifier Models
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Agentic Models
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Sycophancy Bias/Ideological Persuasion
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General Purpose AI Systems
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Red Teaming Methodologies
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Benchmarks & Model Evals
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Content Moderation & Hash-Sharing
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Trust & Safety
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AI Safety & Governance
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Researcher Safety
Geographic Focus: Europe and North America, Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia, Sahel
Peace & Conflict
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Insurgencies
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Political Violence
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Civil Conflict
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Inter Rebel Competition
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Rebel Governance
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Salafi-Jihadism / Jihadism
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Micro-Dynamics of Conflict
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Jihadist Rebels in Civil Conflict
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Foreign Intelligence Operations
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Counterintelligence
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Terrorism / Counterterrorism
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Fieldwork Methods
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Quantitative Surveys
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Behavioural Science
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Ethnographic Interviews
Geographic Focus: Middle East and North Africa, Sahel, Central Asia, Europe
Recent Publications
AI Information Threats and Crisis Response: Practitioners’ Handbook
The Alan Turing Institute's Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS), UK AI Security Institute (AISI)
Broderick James McDonald, Sam Stockwell
Adding Fuel to the Fire: AI Information Threats and Crisis Events (Turing AISI Research Report)
The Alan Turing Institute's Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS), UK AI Security Institute (AISI)
Sam Stockwell, Ardi Janjeva, Broderick James McDonald
Access: https://cetas.turing.ac.uk/publications/adding-fuel-to-fire Read More
Emerging Technologies & Terrorist Misuse (Book Chapter)
Broderick James McDonald, Nagham al-Karhili, Benjamin Mok, Lara Nonninger, and Guy Fiennes. In Routledge Handbook on Online Extremism, edited by Suraj Lakhani. New York: Routledge, forthcoming.
Winning the Deployment Race
The Stimson Center (Washington DC)
Broderick James McDonald, Lisa Klaassen
Access: https://www.stimson.org/2026/america-is-running-the-wrong-ai-race/
America Is Running the Wrong AI Race
The National Interest
Lisa Klaassen, Broderick McDonald
Access: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/techland/america-is-running-the-wrong-ai-race
Middle Powers Must Win the AI Deployment Race
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Broderick James McDonald, Connor Attridge, Alexandra MacEachern
Terrorist and Extremist Exploitation of AI Systems: Emerging Threats and Technical Solutions
UK Home Affairs Committee
Broderick James McDonald (OxDEL)
Submission to the Home Affairs Committee Inquiry, UK House of Commons: Combatting New Forms of Extremism, June 2025.
AI-Enabled Terrorism: CBRN Threats (Book Chapter)
Broderick James McDonald and Lara Nonninger. In Encyclopedia of Terrorism and Counterterrorism Law, edited by Stuart MacDonald, 75–80. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing, forthcoming.
The Right Way to Engage With Syria’s New Rulers
Foreign Affairs
Nafees Hamid, Nils Mallock, Broderick James McDonald, Rahaf Aldoughli
Access: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/syria/right-way-engage-syrias-new-rulers-assad
The Long Road to Damascus: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Assad, and the Future of Syria
Just Security (New York University, Reiss Center on Law and Security)
Access: https://www.justsecurity.org/106215/syria-assad-regime-what-next/
The Drones of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS): The Development and Use of UAS in Syria
Global Network on Extremism and Technology, Kings College London
Access: https://gnet-research.org/2024/12/20/the-drones-of-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-the-development-and-use-of-uas-in-syria/
A New Far-Right Threat to Democratic Elections
Al Jazeera
Access: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/5/2/active-clubs-a-new-far-right-threat-to-democratic-elections
Extremists are Seeping Back into the Mainstream: Algorithmic Detection and Evasion Tactics on Social Media Platforms
Global Network on Extremism & Technology, Kings College London
Access: https://gnet-research.org/2022/10/31/extremists-are-seeping-back-into-the-mainstream-algorithmic-detection-and-evasion-tactics-on-social-media-platforms/
Tech Against Terrorism: Extremism, Elections, and Active Clubs
Tech Against Terrorism Podcast
Broderick James McDonald
Access: https://podcast.techagainstterrorism.org/1684819/14864219-active-clubs-fitness-fraternity-and-fascism
The Use of Generative AI in Disinformation & Extremism
Oxford Disinformation & Extremism Lab (OxDEL)
Broderick James McDonald
Access: https://www.oxdisinformationextremismlab.com/research/article/the-use-of-ai-in-disinformation-extremism-separating-fact-from-fiction
Counter-Terrorism in the Sahel: The Wagner Group's Growing Shadow
United States Military Academy at West Point (Modern War Institute)
Broderick James McDonald, Guy Fiennes
Access: https://mwi.usma.edu/the-wagner-groups-growing-shadow-in-the-sahel-what-does-it-mean-for-counterterrorism-in-the-region/
The Future of Al Qaeda, ISIL, and the Global Jihadi-Salafi Movement
Oxford Disinformation & Extremism Lab (OxDEL)
Broderick James McDonald
Access: https://www.oxdisinformationextremismlab.com/research/article/terrorism-al-qaeda-isis-isil-article-broderick-brody-mcdonald
How Far Right Extremists Respond to Failed Predictions
Global Network on Extremism & Technology, Kings College London
Access: https://gnet-research.org/2021/03/31/how-qanon-reacts-to-failed-predictions/
Public Lectures & Invited Talks
Broderick James McDonald "Geopolitics of AI" Panel with Daisy McGregor (Anthropic), Robert Trager (AIGI), Amy Harland (FCDO / Faculty AI), Sarah Wahedi (Civaam), at The Oxford Generative AI Summit, Oxford, England, October 2025
Broderick James McDonald "Algorithmic Warfare: Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and National Security" Panel with Adam McCauley (Senior Policy Advisor Government of Canada) and Tsvetelina van Benthem (Blavatnik School of Government) at The Oxford Emerging Threats Group, Oxford, England, October 2025
Broderick James McDonald "Gaming, Extremism, and Counterterrorism" at the Global Coalition Against Daesh Communications Working Group, UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) and the Global Coalition Against ISIS, The Royal Society, September 2025
Broderick James McDonald "Unraveling the Present, Forecasting the Future with Broderick McDonald" on The International Risk Podcast with Dominic Bowens and Elisa Garbil. Remote, September 2025
Broderick James McDonald "Terrorist Use of Agentic AI" at the Aqaba Process Expert-Level Conference on Disrupting Terrorist Activities Through Generative AI”, The Royal Hashemite Court and UK Ministry of Defence, London, England, July 2025
Broderick James McDonald “Terrorist Misuse of AI Systems for Attack Planning, TVEC, and CBRN Threats”, Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF)/US State Department, Doha, Qatar, 28 June 2025
Broderick James McDonald “AI Safety in Practice: Safeguarding Against Real‑World Misuse and Near‑Term Harms.”, Oxford Technology & Security Nexus (OTSN), Nuffield College, Oxford University, 15 May 2025
Broderick James McDonald “Preparing Industry for Near-Term & Immediate Harms from AI Systems”, Global Internet Forum for Countering Terrorism (GIFCT), AI Industry Working Group, London, United Kingdom, 10 May 2025
Broderick James McDonald “Preventing Exploitation of AI Systems by Terrorist & Extremist Entities, Hostile Foreign States, and Organized Crime”, Emerging Threats Group, Changing Character of War Centre, Pembroke College, Oxford University, 23 February 2025
Broderick James McDonald. “Foreign Terrorist Fighters & Global Networks in Syria” XCEPT Research Conference, Centre for Statecraft & National Security, Kings College London, 13-14 May 2025
Broderick James McDonald. “Digital Evidence and Emerging Security Threats from Non-State Actors”, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) / IIJ Training on Digital Evidence in a Counter Terrorism Context for the International Prosecutors, Valetta, Malta, 27-28 January 2025
Broderick James McDonald, Nafees Hamid, Rahaf Al-Doughli, Nils Mallock. “From Rebels to Rulers”, The War Studies Podcast, Kings College London, 18 January 2024
Broderick James McDonald “Israel, Syria, and the Six-Day War”, BBC The Conflict: Middle East Podcast, London, 20 December 2024
Broderick James McDonald, Nafees Hamid, Rahaf Al-Doughli, Nils Mallock. “Towards a New Syria: Understanding the Motivations and Values of Syria’s New Rulers”, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), Kings College London, 18 January 2024
Broderick James McDonald. “The Use of Drones & Emerging Technology by Non-State Actors”, The Global Tech Podcast, Somewhere on Earth Productions, BBC Studios, London, 17 December 2024
Broderick James McDonald. “Use of AI in Preventing Online Harms & Malicious Actors”, Hedayah International Research Conference, Queen Elizabeth II Centre, London, 29-30 October 2024
Broderick James McDonald. “AI and UAS Drone Systems”, Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), Lancaster House, London, 22-23 October 2024
Broderick James McDonald. “Using AI to Prevent Online Harms”, EU Commission/FRISCO Project Final Conference, Brussels, 17-18 October 2024
Broderick James McDonald "Borderline Content, Free Speech, and Human Rights" VOXPol Webinar Series, with Hannah Rose, Heidi Schulze & Simon Greipl, and Ursula Schmid. Online. 03 July 2024
Broderick James McDonald. “Red Teaming for Law Enforcement, NGOs, and AI Developers”, Social Media & Terrorism Conference, Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, 19-20 June 2024
Broderick James McDonald. “Generative AI, Disinformation, and Society”, Commonwealth Parliamentarians Conference, Commonwealth Parliaments Association Secretariat, 04 December 2023
Broderick James McDonald. “Generative AI and Online Harms”, Ditchley AI Discussions, Ditchley Foundation, 30 October 2023
Broderick James McDonald. “The Role of Generative AI in Shaping Extremism, Disinformation, and Elections”, Oxford Generative AI Summit, Jesus College Oxford Digital Hub, Oxford Internet Institute, 22 October 2023
Broderick James McDonald. “Rebel Governance and Salafi-Jihadist Groups”, Centre for the Study of Intractable Conflict (CRIC) Annual Conference, University of Oxford, 18 September 2023
Broderick James McDonald. “Leading from Beside”, Global Leadership Initiative Conference, Cheng Kar Shun Digital Hub, University of Oxford, 23 June 2023
Broderick James McDonald. “Next Generation Leadership”, OCP Business & Society Conference, Rhodes House, University of Oxford, 16 June 2023
Broderick James McDonald and Guy Fiennes. “Counter-Terrorism and Russia’s Wagner Group in the Sahel and West Africa” Orion Policy Institute Podcast, 14 June 2023
Broderick James McDonald “Understanding Jihadist Proto-States: Rebel Governance and the Next Generation of Jihadist Salafist Extremism” CDA Institute Conference, 29 September 2022
Broderick James McDonald. “Mitigating the Mental Health Risks of Researching Violent Extremism” Terrorism and Social Media Conference, Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, 28 June 2022
Broderick James McDonald “Identity, Nationalism, and Fragmentation in the Modern Middle East” Middle East & Islamic Studies Consortium Conference, University of British Columbia, 16 May 2016
In The News
Broderick McDonald | Snowmass, Colorado
Broderick McDonald | Hedeyah Research Conference
Broderick McDonald | Global Coalition Against ISIS
Broderick McDonald | Oxford GenAI Summit
MiA EMEA Conference 2026