Alex John London

Alex John London is the K&L Gates Professor of Ethics and Computational Technologies at Carnegie Mellon University, where he also serves as co-lead of the K&L Gates Initiative in Ethics and Computational Technologies, Director of the Center for Ethics and Policy, and Chief Ethicist at the Block Center for Technology and Society. His work spans multiple institutions, including affiliations with the Center for Bioethics and Health Law at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. London earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Virginia, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota's Center for Bioethics. He joined Carnegie Mellon University in 2000 and has established himself as a leading scholar in ethics at the intersection of technology, medicine, and policy. His academic journey includes being a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University's Program in Ethics and Health.

Professor London's research spans ethical and policy issues surrounding novel technologies in medicine, biotechnology and artificial intelligence, methodological issues in theoretical and practical ethics, and cross-national issues of justice and fairness. His work in AI ethics critically examines structural obstacles to safe and effective technologies, challenges conventional notions of algorithmic bias, and questions requirements for explainability in medical contexts. His foundational work on clinical equipoise and the 'integrative approach' to risk assessment has shaped research ethics guidelines globally. He has made significant contributions to international research ethics, particularly regarding justice, responsiveness to host community health needs, and post-trial access.

Professor London's scholarly output demonstrates a trajectory toward addressing the ethical challenges of emerging technologies, with increasing focus on justice-led approaches to AI innovation, accountability frameworks, and the sociotechnical dimensions of healthcare AI systems. His work increasingly addresses how AI can be designed to respect human dignity while navigating complex ethical terrain in healthcare settings.

• New Directions Fellowship from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (2005, 2010)
• Hastings Center Fellow (2011)
• Elliott Dunlap Smith Award for Distinguished Teaching (2016)
• Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities (2017)

As an educator, Professor London teaches courses on ethical theory, bioethics, ethics and AI, and research ethics. His influential textbook 'Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine' (8th edition) is one of the most widely used resources in medical ethics education. His book 'For the Common Good: Philosophical Foundations of Research Ethics' (2022) provides a comprehensive framework for understanding research ethics as serving the common good. Professor London has advised numerous students and mentored early-career researchers in bioethics and technology ethics. His policy work extends to multiple national and international organizations including the World Health Organization Expert Group on Ethics and Governance of AI, the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative, and the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity.

Professor London leads several significant research initiatives, including serving as co-leader of the ethics core for the NSF AI Institute for Collaborative Assistance and Responsive Interaction for Networked Groups (AI-CARING). His Center for Ethics and Policy at CMU serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research addressing pressing ethical challenges in technology and healthcare. He is actively involved in shaping policy through his membership on the steering committee of the AAAI/ACM Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Ethics and Society (AIES) and his co-chair role in the U.S. National Academies planning committee on computational modeling of biological agents.