My name is David Fearne, and I am an independent researcher and founder of Imitation AI, a research organisation dedicated to advancing the responsible design and deployment of artificial intelligence.

My research explores how AI can be introduced in ways that are beneficial to humanity, balancing technological capability with human values, ethics, and long-term societal responsibility. Rather than treating AI adoption as a series of disconnected experiments, my work focuses on building systematic approaches that organisations can use to integrate AI more effectively, sustainably, and with measurable alignment to their goals.

• Synthetic Reasoning
  A framework for modelling human thought in a way that enables large language models to replicate chains of reasoning without falling into cognitive overload. This work explores how to break complex reasoning into controlled, focused heuristics, enabling AI to emulate both intuitive (System 1) and deliberative (System 2) forms of reasoning.

• The Agentic Enterprise
  A model that applies the Viable System Model (VSM) to AI architecture, positioning AI agents as recursive organisational units. This research provides a blueprint for scaling agentic systems across enterprises while maintaining governance, adaptability, and strategic alignment.

• Graduated Memory Horizons & Graduated Intelligence
  Theories that structure how AI agents should retain and apply knowledge across different levels of autonomy. By aligning memory and intelligence with organisational layers, these models support both immediate operational effectiveness and long-term organisational learning.

The ultimate aim of my research is to equip organisations with the intellectual tools and frameworks needed to embrace AI successfully—not as isolated “science experiments,” but as coherent, human-aligned systems. By distilling lessons from my own research, I work to ensure that AI is introduced in ways that are transparent, ethical, and deeply aligned with human progress.