Kobi Hackenburg

Kobi Hackenburg is a DPhil (PhD) candidate in Social Data Science and Clarendon Scholar at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. He works as a Research Scientist at the UK AI Security Institute and has affiliations with institutions like The Alan Turing Institute, Centre for the Politics of Feelings, and The Brookings Institution.

• Education: MSc in Social Data Science (University of Oxford), MSc in Politics and Communication (London School of Economics), BA in Political Science (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

His research explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and political persuasion, focusing on how large language models (LLMs) influence human cognition, behavior, and attitudes. Key areas include AI-driven political microtargeting, moral language analysis in political campaigns, and the effectiveness of dynamic vs. static AI persuasion strategies.

Recent publications include studies on scaling laws for political persuasion with LLMs (PNAS 2025) and the efficacy of microtargeting in political contexts (PNAS 2024). While no explicit technical staff title is specified at the UK AI Safety Institute, his work involves AI security and persuasion dynamics.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Clarendon Scholarship (2023-present)
  • Departmental Prize for Best Overall MSc Performance at London School of Economics and Political Science (2022)

Kobi's collaborations with institutions like the UK AI Safety Institute and The Alan Turing Institute highlight his multidisciplinary approach to AI's societal impact. Future research directions include multi-turn dialogue systems for political persuasion and ethical implications of AI in governance.