Jade Leung to step back as the Prime Minister's AI adviser at the end of September

The government announced on 23 September 2026 that Jade Leung will step back from her full-time roles as the Prime Minister's Adviser on AI and Chief Technology Officer of the AI Security Institute (AISI) "at the end of September due to personal circumstances". The government says the change takes effect at the end of September, which is this week. According to the same Cabinet Office announcement on GOV.UK, she will stay in government as Vice-Chair of AISI and Security Advisor to the AI Taskforce.

What the government announced

• Stepping back: she "will step back from her full-time roles as the Prime Minister's Adviser on AI and Chief Technology Officer of the AI Security Institute at the end of September due to personal circumstances".
• New roles: she "will become Vice-Chair of the AI Security Institute (AISI) and Security Advisor to the AI Taskforce", and in them "will continue to provide strategic advice on AI safety and security".
• Outside government: she "will take up a part-time position as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution".
• Successor: "A new Adviser on AI to the Prime Minister will be appointed in due course." The announcement names no successor and no interim arrangement.

The announcement does not describe the AI Taskforce's remit or how much time the new roles involve.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is quoted as saying: "Britain is better prepared for both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI thanks to Jade Leung. I'm grateful for all she has done and am delighted she will continue this vital work in government."

AI Minister Kanishka Narayan credited her with "building the AI Security Institute into the world leading institution it is today, securing a landmark AI deal between the UK and Ukraine and establishing AI Growth Zones across the UK".

Her time in post

• 2023: the Frontier AI Taskforce's second progress report, published on 30 October 2023, said "Jade joins us from OpenAI where she led the firm's work on AGI governance, with a particular focus on frontier AI regulation, international governance, and safety protocols for upcoming generations of AI systems."
• 2025: a GOV.UK announcement dated 15 August 2025 said that Jade Leung, "the Chief Technology Officer of the AI Security Institute, has been appointed as the Prime Minister's new AI adviser", reporting "directly to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology" and "splitting her time between both Number 10 and the AI Security Institute".
• 2026: this month's announcement says she "played a leading role in establishing the AI Security Institute, helping build its technical research capability and programme of work".

What it means for UK AI policy

On our reading, three points stand out.

• No successor or interim has been announced. The government has not announced who will advise the Prime Minister on AI after the end of September; it says an appointment will come "in due course". It has not given a date.
• AISI loses a full-time technical lead but keeps her on its leadership. She steps back as CTO and becomes Vice-Chair. The announcement does not say who will take over as CTO.
• The two jobs may not stay combined. Her 2025 appointment was framed around splitting her time between Number 10 and AISI. On our reading, the announcement leaves open whether a successor would hold both posts, and the government has not said either way.

Why it matters

On our reading, this removes a technical adviser who has worked across both No 10 and AISI from full-time work at the centre, while keeping her involved. The government says her new roles continue "her work to support the UK's leadership on AI safety and security". The next thing to watch is who is named as the Prime Minister's adviser, and whether they also hold a role at AISI.