Kayla Blomquist is a DPhil Affiliate of the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative; a current DPhil candidate at the Oxford Internet Institute; and Co-Director of the Oxford China Policy Lab.

Her research focuses on international approaches to artificial intelligence governance, concepts of legitimacy, and US-China relations. Kayla's expertise has been featured in outlets including The Economist, Just Security, and Oxford Global Society, and she recently wrote as the lead contributing author to the Oxford China Briefing Book.

Prior to joining Oxford, she worked as a diplomat in the US Mission to China for 4 years, where she specialised in the governance of emerging technologies, human rights, and improving the use of new technology within government services. She also has experience in the non-profit sector managing democracy-building and anti-corruption grants in East and Southeast Asia.

Kayla previously studied at Peking University and is professionally fluent in Mandarin. She holds an MSc in social science of the Internet from the University of Oxford and a bachelor's degree in international relations, public policy, and Mandarin Chinese from the University of Denver’s Korbel School of International Studies.