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:
nicola.franco@ai4i.it
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 FOR INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
AI4I has been founded to perform transformative, application-oriented research in Artificial Intelligence.
AI4I is set to engage and empower gifted, entrepreneurial, young researchers who commit to producing an impact at the intersection of science, innovation, and industrial transformation.
Highly competitive pay, bonus incentives, access to dedicated high-performance computing, state-of-the-art laboratories, industrial collaborations, and an ecosystem tailored to support the initiation and growth of startups stand out as some of the distinctive features of AI4I, bringing together people in a dynamic international environment.
AI4I is an Institute that aims to enhance scientific research, technological transfer, and, more generally, the innovation capacity of the Country, promoting its positive impact on industry, services, and public administration. To this end, the Institute contributes to creating a research and innovation infrastructure that employs artificial intelligence methods, with particular reference to manufacturing processes, within the framework of the Industry 4.0 process and its entire value chain. The Institute establishes relationships with similar entities and organizations in Italy and abroad, including Competence Centers and European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), so that the center may become an attractive place for researchers, companies, and start-ups.
