Artificial general intelligence (AGI) may be developed within this century. While this event could bring vast benefits, such as a dramatic acceleration of scientific and economic progress, it also poses important risks. A recent survey shows that the median AI researcher believes there is at least a one-in-twenty chance of a negative outcome as extreme as human extinction. Ensuring that AGI is developed safely and beneficially, and that the worst risks are avoided, will require institutions that do not yet exist. Nevertheless, the need to design and understand these institutions has so far inspired very little academic work. Our programme aims to address several questions that are foundational to the problem of governing advanced AI systems. We will pursue four workstreams toward this aim, concerning the state of Chinese AI research and policy thought, evolving relationships between governments and AI research firms, the prospects for verifying agreements on AI use and development, and strategically relevant properties of AI systems that may guide states' approaches to AI governance. Outputs of the programme will include academic publications, workshops, and consultations with leading actors in AI development and policy.