Benedict Macon-Cooney

Benedict Macon-Cooney serves as chief AI and innovation officer at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Macon-Cooney is recognized for his expertise in economic and technology policy, with a focus on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and clean technology. In his role, he oversees the Institute's policy output, which includes economic and fiscal policy, health, climate and energy, science and technology, government innovation, and geopolitics.

Macon-Cooney began his career as an economist at Her Majesty's Treasury during the global financial crisis, later working in finance and contributing to economic and government transformation programs in a prime minister's office in Southeast Asia and in Rwanda in President Kagame's office. He also contributed to HM Treasury's response to the global financial crisis. This experience across government institutions on multiple continents provides him with a global perspective on the challenges and opportunities that emerging technologies present to policymakers.

Macon-Cooney led the influential "New National Purpose" report series, co-authoring with Tony Blair and Lord Hague. In the paper "A New National Purpose," he examines the opportunities and risks that the rapid development of AI presents for the United Kingdom. He also led the launch of "A New National Purpose: Leading the Biotech Revolution," which proposes policies to help the United Kingdom harness advances in biotechnology, convening senior figures from government and industry to discuss policy responses to technological progress.

Macon-Cooney focuses on how governments can navigate the rapid evolution of AI, advocating for agile regulatory frameworks that enable innovation while safeguarding societal interests. He emphasizes AI's potential to enhance public services, stimulate economic growth, and reinforce democratic resilience. Macon-Cooney has advised foreign governments in his work at the Institute and has spoken at major forums including Aspen Ideas Festival, Oxford Gen AI Summit, and Research and Applied AI Summit. His writing on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and clean technology appears frequently in prominent global media outlets.