Sumaya Nur Adan is an AI governance researcher with a background in Law and AI. She currently serves as an AI Risk Advisor at the Central AI Risk Function in the UK’s Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology, focusing on international organisations, AI risk assessment, institutional design, and benefit-sharing institutions

Sumaya’s previous roles include advocating for the regulation of autonomous weapons at the United Nations through the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots and researching the ethics of military AI applications.As a summer fellow at the Centre for AI Governance, she researched international benefit-sharing models for AI. With her expertise in AI and law, Sumaya has made significant contributions to various international initiatives, including the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction’s Sendai Framework, and the African Commission’s work on AI and human rights.

Looking ahead, Sumaya is passionate about developing equitable and inclusive frameworks that amplify the roles of Global Majority countries in shaping AI policy and ensuring the global sharing of AI benefits, where she balances national security concerns with equitable global access to AI technologies.

Sumaya holds an MPhil with distinction in Ethics of AI, Data, and Algorithms from the University of Cambridge and an LLB from Strathmore University.