Peter Cihon focuses his research on grounding AI governance in public policy and actionable recommendations to ensure AI development aligns with democratic values and societal safety. His current project, Chilling Autonomy: Policy Enforcement for Human Oversight of AI Agents, evaluates existing legal mechanisms for maintaining meaningful human control over AI systems. This work contributes to a broader research agenda aimed at enforcing policies that mitigate risks posed by AI and ensure its responsible deployment.

Peter’s research interests also encompass the geopolitics of open-source AI and exploring AI development through the lens of the social construction of technology. He has worked extensively to improve policy stakeholders' understanding of the AI value chain and establish best practices for responsible open-source AI development, including initiatives such as the PAI-GitHub workshop and Mozilla-Columbia gathering on openness. His previous work has addressed topics including governance and risks of open-source AI, soft law mechanisms like certification and standards, the labor and productivity impacts of AI, and international institutional design for advanced AI systems.