Abigail (Abby) Gilbert

Abigail (Abby) Gilbert is a distinguished cultural political economist and public policy researcher. For the past five years, Abby has focused on AI governance, particularly its impacts on work and working lives. She is currently the Co-Director of the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW), where she leads efforts to understand and address the impacts of data-driven technologies in the private sector.

At IFOW, Abby has established the first civil society-led, employment-focused AI regulatory sandbox. This action research environment is designed to facilitate responsible AI adoption with businesses while simultaneously unpacking how different hard and soft law regulatory practices would better support universal access to good work.

Abby’s career at IFOW includes roles such as Director of Praxis, Head of Research, and Principal Researcher. Before joining IFOW, she worked in various research and policy positions, exploring the relationship between the economy and democracy. She holds a PhD in Public Policy Analysis from the University of Manchester, where she also completed her Master’s in Social Science Research Methods. Her academic and professional background make her a leading figure in discussions about the future of work and AI integration.