GovAI Researcher Alan Chan Discusses AI Agent Governance and Recursive Self-Improvement Risks

The Cognitive Revolution podcast published a two-part interview with Alan Chan, a Research Fellow at GovAI, on October 14, 2026. This resource focuses on the governance of AI agents, specifically addressing agent identity, monitoring mechanisms, and the risks associated with automated AI research and development in the current technological landscape.

According to the publisher's show notes, Alan Chan reviewed his proposals from the past few years regarding AI agent governance. These include the "Visibility into AI Agents" framework proposed in a 2024 paper, which advocates for enhanced transparency through activity logging, real-time monitoring, and agent identifiers. The notes indicate that while technical solutions for tamper-evident logging exist, effective monitoring and standardized agent identifiers remain seriously underdeveloped.

The episode also explores the risks of "Recursive Self-Improvement" (RSI). Chan co-authored a major paper with prominent figures such as OpenAI Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki, arguing that handing AI R&D over to AIs could create unpredictable outcomes. The interview discusses how governments should act quickly to understand this process and the role of embedded third-party auditors in making safety commitments credible.