Justin O'Brien is a psychologist, academic and AI consultant. He has spent more than three decades in academic research and teaching at London universities, following a PhD in visual perception at University College London. His work has increasingly focused on the use of data and artificial intelligence to understand the operation and finances of higher education. His 2026 report The 2026 Reckoning analysed the financial position of 150 UK universities and has been downloaded more than 8,000 times. Regulated to Fail develops that work into a broader examination of the financial, regulatory and policy structures that have shaped British higher education.