Matthew Gentzel
Escalation risks from state perceptions of AI capability, AI-enabled targeting, AI-enabled decision manipulation, and the impact of AI integration into nuclear command and control.
Stream overview
Projects related to:
- Preventing or mitigating large-scale nuclear risks
- AI-related military or nuclear topics: strategic stability & targeting, non-nuclear strategic weapons, country escalation based on perception of impending AGI risks, arms control and de-escalatory AI apps, as well as AI and deception/fog of war.
- Incentive design for regulatory efforts
- Information competition, credibility, and how to search for blindspots for X-risk mitigation
Mentors
Matthew Gentzel is a Nuclear Weapons Policy Program Officer at Longview Philanthropy where he works on grantmaking and priorities research related to reducing the risk of large-scale nuclear war. Roughly half of his grantmaking budget concentrates on AI and emerging tech-related nuclear risk issues, where he investigates risks and opportunities related to AI-enabled targeting, information manipulation, and how perceptions of future AI capability impact escalation control in the near-term.
His prior work spanned emerging technology threat and policy assessment, with a particular focus on how advancements in AI may shape the future of influence operations, nuclear strategy, and cyber attacks. He has worked as a policy researcher with OpenAI, as an analyst in the US Department of Defense’s Innovation Steering Group, and as a director of research and analysis at the US National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.
Mr. Gentzel holds an MA in strategic studies and international economics from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a BS in fire protection engineering from the University of Maryland College Park.
Mentorship style
Mentorship will mostly consist of calls, sorting through research ideas and providing feedback. I'll be up to review papers, and potentially to meet in person depending on timing.
Fellows we are looking for
Looking for intellectually curious and honest scholars, with some background on topics related to national security, game theory, or AI-enabled military and influence capabilities.
Project selection
I'll talk through project ideas with scholar, or the scholar can pick from a list of projects
The Winter 2026 cohort offers a wide range of research streams led by experts across AI alignment, interpretability, governance, and safety. Each stream provides its own research agenda, methodology, and mentorship focus.
