phd

The Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AI4I), in collaboration with Politecnico di Torino

PhD in AI Alignment

Deadline: November 14, 2025, 2 PM CET

Research Title:

Formal Verification of Alignment in Autonomous AI Agents

Funded by:

The Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AI4I), in collaboration with Politecnico di Torino

Supervisors:

Nicola Franco, Sisto Riccardo

Contact:

The Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence for Industry (AI4I), in collaboration with Politecnico di Torino, invites applications for a PhD position focused on Formal Verification of Alignment in Autonomous AI Agents.

Autonomous AI agents are increasingly deployed in web-based environments. However, they face challenges: maintaining alignment with human objectives while operating securely in adversarial environments that may attempt to manipulate their behavior or compromise data integrity. The research aims to develop formal verification methods to provide value alignment and security robustness guarantees.

The Role

The selected PhD candidate will work at the intersection of AI safety, formal verification, and cybersecurity, contributing to fundamental advances in the trustworthiness of autonomous AI systems. The position is hosted at Politecnico di Torino, with research activities co-supervised and co-developed with AI4I.

Key Objectives

• Develop formal specifications of aligned agent behavior.
• Design and implement verification algorithms capable of analyzing deterministic and probabilistic agent behaviors.
• Investigate adversarial attack vectors in web environments (prompt injection, data poisoning, manipulation of web content).

Research Plan

Threat Analysis & Specification

Map adversarial threats to AI agents, define formal requirements for alignment and robustness, and publish initial taxonomies and frameworks.

Verification Techniques & Algorithms

Develop model-checking and statistical verification approaches for autonomous agents and validate prototypes on realistic web-based benchmarks.

Scalability & Practical Integration

Refine algorithms for real-world feasibility, automate specification synthesis, and conduct large-scale experimental validation.

Required Qualifications

• Strong background in at least two of the following areas: formal methods, machine learning, cybersecurity.
• Solid programming skills in Python and experience with AI frameworks (PyTorch or TensorFlow).
• Familiarity with temporal logic, model checking, or neural network verification is desirable

What We Offer

• Joint supervision between AI4I and Politecnico di Torino, fostering academic collaboration.
• Opportunity to contribute to open-source research, publications, and community datasets.
• Access to high-performance computing infrastructure and expert network.
• A collaborative, international research environment with exposure to both academic and industry partners.

Start Date:

01/03/2026

How to Apply

Applications for this position are managed by Politecnico di Torino.

Please apply via the university's official PhD portal:

For More Information

ABOUT US

AI4I – The Italian Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence

AI4I was founded to perform transformative, application-oriented research in Artificial Intelligence, driving innovation and industrial progress.

The Institute is designed to engage and empower gifted, entrepreneurial, young researchers who are committed to generating real-world impact at the intersection of science, technology, and industrial transformation.

Competitive salaries, performance-based incentives, access to dedicated high-performance computing resources, state-of-the-art laboratories, and strong industrial collaborations are among the distinctive features that define AI4I. The Institute fosters a dynamic international environment and an ecosystem that supports the creation and growth of innovative startups

AI4I's mission is to advance scientific research, technology transfer, and, more broadly, the nation's innovation capacity, promoting positive impact across industry, services, and public administration. To achieve this, the Institute contributes to building a research and innovation infrastructure that leverages AI methods, with a special focus on manufacturing processes and the broader Industry 4.0 value chain.

AI4I also maintains strategic relationships with leading organizations in Italy and abroad, including Competence Centers and European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), positioning itself as an attractive destination for researchers, companies, and startups seeking collaboration and impact.