About the project
Large Language Models (LLMs) are powerful but can be tricked - Adversarial Defence protects them. You will improve LLM robustness to prompt-based attack or jailbreaking, exploring novel algorithms for adversarial defence inspired by recent success of adversarial pre-prompt training, reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) and adding safety layers to LLM architectures.
Large Language Models (LLMs) are changing the landscape of NLP applications as we know it today. However, as LLM applications proliferate methods to attack LLMs that induce deliberate error, bias, toxicity and misinformation are also growing.
This PhD will explore adversarial defence methods in the context of LLMs fine-tuned for few-shot applications.
The ambition is to improve LLM robustness in both text-only and multi-modal downstream applications. The nature of LLM robustness will first be explored in the context of prompt-based attack and jailbreaking, followed by an exploration of novel adversarial defence approaches inspired by recent success with ideas such as adversarial pre-prompt training, reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) and adding safety layers to training architectures.
You will join the School of Electronics and Computer Science within the University of Southampton, ranked in the top 100 universities worldwide (QS worldwide ranking 2025). We will support the development of your future career and give you opportunities including teaching assistantships, professional networking via leading organizations such as Alan Turing Institute, £31M RAI UK ecosystem, and access to Future Worlds to explore commercialisation of your research.
The School of Electronics and Computer Science is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break.
The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
