Independent research on technology and institutions

Research objectives

• 1.Establish assurance requirements for AI-assisted institutional workflows.
• 2.Define what evidence an AI-assisted decision must leave behind.
• 3.Identify where human sign-off must remain mandatory.

Research questions

• —Which decisions should never be delegated to automated systems?
• —What documentation makes an AI-assisted outcome reviewable after the fact?
• —How should model limitations be recorded and communicated to operators?

Areas of investigation

• —AI risk management and assurance frameworks
• —Human-in-the-loop control design
• —Decision logging and explainability

Methodology

Comparative review of published standards and institutional guidance, translated into control requirements and reference architecture.

Publications

• —Reference notes in development — no publication date announced.

Reference frameworks

• —NIST AI Risk Management Framework
• —ISO/IEC 42001 (AI management systems)
• —OECD AI Principles

Research objectives

• 1.Map onboarding and monitoring control requirements end to end.
• 2.Model transaction data for auditability and reconciliation.
• 3.Examine trust assumptions in cross-border digital payments.

Research questions

• —Where do onboarding controls break down in high-volume retail environments?
• —What data makes reconciliation defensible to an independent reviewer?
• —How can compliance requirements be met without excluding legitimate users?

Areas of investigation

• —KYC and identity verification
• —Transaction monitoring and reporting
• —Payment and settlement architecture

Methodology

Framework analysis based on publicly available regulatory material and documented operational experience; no confidential institutional data is used.

Publications

• —Working notes only — not yet published.

Reference frameworks

• —FATF Recommendations (risk-based approach)
• —Basel Committee guidance on operational risk
• —National payments regulation (public sources)

Research objectives

• 1.Document resilience patterns appropriate to constrained environments.
• 2.Translate security frameworks into prioritised, implementable controls.

Research questions

• —Which controls deliver the greatest resilience gain per unit of effort?
• —How should evidence be preserved for post-incident review?

Areas of investigation

• —Identity and access architecture
• —Incident response documentation
• —Third-party dependency risk

Methodology

Reference-architecture analysis based on published security frameworks and threat guidance.

Publications

• —Reference material only — no published paper.

Reference frameworks

• —NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0
• —ISO/IEC 27001
• —CIS Critical Security Controls

Research objectives

• 1.Document the governance and safeguards requirements of a civilian programme.
• 2.Compare financing, liability and waste-management arrangements.

Research questions

• —Which safeguards obligations shape programme design from the outset?
• —How do liability conventions affect financing structures?

Areas of investigation

• —Safeguards and non-proliferation
• —Liability conventions
• —Financing, waste and public acceptance

Methodology

Documentary research using publicly available IAEA, government and research-organisation publications.

Publications

• —Five-paper compendium — published under Vertex Atomic (independent initiative).

Reference frameworks

• —IAEA safeguards and safety publications
• —Vienna Convention and CSC (public texts)
• —OECD-NEA material

Research objectives

• 1.Assess readiness factors for institutional digitisation.
• 2.Document inclusion barriers in identity and financial access.

Research questions

• —What distinguishes digitisation that persists from pilots that stall?
• —Which access barriers are technical, and which are procedural?

Areas of investigation

• —Service delivery models
• —Digital and financial inclusion
• —Institutional capability

Methodology

Analysis of published institutional and multilateral reporting, combined with documented field observation. No fieldwork claims are made.

Publications

• —Working notes only — not yet published.

Reference frameworks

• —World Bank digital development reporting
• —OECD digital government policy material
• —ITU connectivity data