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AI policy

This page lists resources on AI policy, profiles of US federal agencies, fellowship programs, think tanks, and congressional committees.

AI policy resources

This list is an introduction to the field. While we couldn’t include many great resources here, we encourage you to do your own research on particular topics of interest.

Introductory readings

Career resources

Newsletters

Books

Podcasts

AI policy online courses

Technical AI online courses

Think tank reports and policy analysis

Government documents

Conferences and events

We aim to keep this page updated. You can recommend other resources here.

AI federal agency profiles

These guides outline specific federal agencies working on AI policy issues, including lists of relevant offices, major policy developments, and job opportunities.

Executive branch AI policy overview

This guide is a starting point for exploring AI policy careers in the executive branch. It reviews key policy areas and agency roles and highlights key considerations to inform your career planning.

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

EOP is a group of offices and councils that support the president in executing their agenda domestically and internationally. EOP advises the president, coordinates policy development among federal agencies, and guides policy implementation.

EOP > National Security Council (NSC)

NSC coordinates the government’s national security enterprise and advises the president on national security matters. It designs short- and long-term national security strategies and coordinates national security policy implementation among agencies.

EOP > Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

OMB oversees the implementation of the president’s vision across the executive branch. It develops the president’s annual budget proposal, manages agency processes, reviews significant agency regulations, and supports presidential actions, including executive orders.

EOP > Office of Science & Tech Policy (OSTP)

OSTP is the president’s chief advisory body on science and technology. It provides strategic guidance for policymaking and government R&D spending, evaluates federal programs, and coordinates federal science and technology policy initiatives.

EOP > National Economic & Domestic Policy Councils (NEC & DPC)

NEC and DPC advise the president and coordinate policymaking processes for economic and domestic issues. Both have supported the development of major AI or biosecurity policy initiatives.

Department of Commerce (DOC)

Commerce promotes US economic growth and competitiveness through roles in data, innovation, and industry support. It plays key roles in AI and biosecurity, overseeing standard-setting, semiconductor and bio-manufacturing, and exports.

DOC > Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS)

BIS is the lead agency tasked with administering and enforcing export controls on dual-use items and technology. It’s central to US AI and biosecurity policy efforts since it controls the export of high-performance semiconductors and biological equipment and materials.

DOC > National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

NIST develops standards, measurements, and technology to support US economic competitiveness, technological progress, improved product reliability, and technical security and safety.

Department of Defense (DOD)

DOD’s mission is to “provide the military forces necessary to deter war and ensure the nation’s security.” DOD shapes AI and biosecurity policy through multiple levers, such as funding for research, procurement, and strategic guidance and policy documents.

DOD > Office of the SecDef (OSD)

OSD is responsible for policy development, planning, resource management, and program evaluation. OSD runs several AI and biosecurity-relevant efforts, including investing in research, purchasing equipment, drafting strategies, and more.

DOD > US military departments

The military departments—Army, Navy, and Air Force—organize, train, and equip the US armed forces. They play central roles in AI and biosecurity through large-scale R&D programs, operational testing, and technology adoption for national defense.

Dep. of Energy (DOE)

DOE oversees energy policy, scientific research, and the nuclear arsenal, being the largest US government funder of physical science research. It significantly contributes to science and tech development and policy, including via its national labs.

DOE > National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

NNSA maintains and secures the US nuclear weapons stockpile, works to prevent nuclear proliferation and terrorism, powers the US Navy through nuclear propulsion, and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies domestically and abroad.

Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS)

DHS is integral to US national security, handling cybersecurity, counterterrorism, border security, disaster response, and critical infrastructure protection. DHS’s role in emerging technology policy is growing, including dealing with AI, bio, and cyber-related threats.

DHS > Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

CISA is the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security and resilience. CISA has emerged as a critical player in AI policy, particularly in AI security.

Intelligence Community (IC)

The IC consists of 18 government agencies and offices that collect, analyze, and deliver intelligence to senior US leaders to support decision-making on critical issues. This work is crucial for informing US government policy and safeguarding national security.

Department of State (DOS)

State oversees US foreign policy, negotiating treaties, managing diplomatic missions, and representing the US in international bodies. In this capacity, State contributes to technology policy, which is becoming increasingly important in diplomacy.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The FTC is an independent federal agency of the US government with a dual mission to promote fair competition and protect American consumers from predatory or misleading business practices. It will likely play a major role in AI regulation.

AI-relevant policy fellowships

The following fellowship programs are especially relevant for AI policy work (see also our full fellowship database for 50+ opportunities & this White House webpage):

  1. Horizon Fellowship (Horizon Institute for Public Service) – a 6-24 month full-time US emerging technology policy fellowship facilitating job placements in the US executive branch, Congress, and think tanks for early- and mid-career individuals. (The Horizon Fellowship and this website are both projects of the Horizon Institute.)
  2. AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships (American Association for the Advancement of Science) – a 12-month fellowship in DC with four separate tracks, that places fellows within the executive branch, judicial branch, legislative branch, or in a nonprofit. The fellowship is for individuals with a doctoral-level degree. (There is also a similar California-specific S&T policy fellowship)
  3. FAI Conservative AI Policy Fellowship (Foundation for American Innovation)  – a six-week, part-time (work-compatible) paid program for conservative early- and mid-career professionals in DC interested in AI and emerging technology. Fellows receive mentorship, gain specialized expertise, and build their networks through weekly lunch sessions, evening workshops, and a weekend retreat.
  4. TechCongress Congressional Innovation Fellowship (TechCongress) – a 10-12 month full-time fellowship for early and mid-career professionals involving placements with a Member of Congress or a congressional committee.
  5. RAND Technology and Security Policy Fellowship (RAND Corporation) – a 1-3 year full-time or part-time fellowship with the RAND Corporation, focused on AI policy, open to candidates from all experience levels, from undergraduate students to mid-career professionals.
  6. Presidential Management Fellowship – a prestigious 2-year full-time executive branch fellowship for graduate degree holders. It’s widely considered one of the best pathways into policy.
  7. NobleReach Scholars (NobleReach Foundation) – a 1-2 year full-time technology policy fellowship in government or mission-driven private companies for early-career technologists focusing on AI, biotech, computing & cybersecurity, or other areas.
  8. US Google Public Policy Fellowship – a semester-long fully-funded fellowship for ~20 US college and graduate students per year offering both part-time and full-time work opportunities in the summer, fall, and spring at a tech policy-related host organization (a mix of nonprofits, think tanks, and industry groups).
  9. STPI Science Policy Fellowship (Institute for Defense Analyses) –  a 24-month, full-time fellowship for recent bachelor’s or master’s graduates, in which fellows work with teams of researchers to support S&T policy-related tasks.
  10. Science & Technology Policy Fellowship (Aspen Tech Policy Hub) – a full-time, paid, three-week program teaching science and technology professionals about policy.
  11. Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) – a 12-week full-time science and technology policy training and networking program in Washington DC for graduate degree holders and current graduate students.
  12. Paragon Fellowship – a part-time (5 hours/week) fellowship aiming to “connect students with opportunities in the science and tech policy space [by] researching and writing a policy brief on key issues for their state and local governments”.
  13. GovAI Research Scholars (Centre for the Governance of AI) – a one-year visiting position  supporting AI governance researchers and practitioners in policy research, social science, technical research, and applied projects. Scholars gain mentorship, professional development, and opportunities to engage with policymakers.
  14. GovAI Research Fellows (Centre for the Governance of AI) – a full-time, two-year renewable position for researchers working on AI governance topics like regulation, international governance, and risk assessment. Fellows receive mentorship, project funding, and access to a broad policy network, with opportunities for policy advising and direct engagement with policymakers.
  15. GovAI Summer and Winter Fellowships (Centre for the Governance of AI) – a paid, three-month, London-based program for early-career individuals or professionals new to AI governance to conduct independent research under expert mentorship.
  16. IAPS AI Policy Fellowship (Institute for AI Policy and Strategy) – a paid, remote-first, four-month program where participants learn from AI policy experts, develop research skills, and support policy research under expert supervision, including an in-person 2-week period in Washington, DC.
  17. LawAI Summer Research Fellowships (Institute for Law & AI) – a paid, remote-first summer program for law students, professionals, and academics to conduct research on AI, law, and policy with expert mentorship, including an in-person week in Washington, DC.
  18. Technologist-in-Residence Fellowship (Council on Foreign Relations) – a 10-month full-time, paid research fellowship at the intersection of emerging technologies and foreign policy (highly competitive; strong preference for a candidate “currently working at a private-sector technology company”)
  19. Emerging Scholars in Technology Policy (Princeton University, Center for Information Technology Policy) – a 2-year tech policy research position with coursework and mentoring
  20. Just Tech Fellowship – a 2-year fellowship for “diverse and cross-sector cohorts of practitioners to imagine and create more just, equitable, and representative technological futures. Fellows have committed to identifying and challenging injustices emerging from new technologies and pursuing solutions that advance social, political, and economic rights.”
  21. Academic-Year Externships (Center for Democracy & Technology) – an unpaid academic-year long program for college, law, and graduate students with an interest in internet and technology policy, human rights, and/or civil liberties.
  22. Technology and Geopolitics Fellowship (Belfer Center, Harvard Kennedy School) – a 10-month academic research fellowship at Harvard University for doctoral students, PhD holders, or mid-career professionals, including “employees of government, military, private research institutions…or the private sector who have appropriate personal experience.”
  23. Global Perspectives: Responsible AI Fellowship (Stimson Center) – “convening stakeholders from developing countries to discuss artificial intelligence, evaluate its impacts around the world, and propose responsible ways forward.”
  24. Post-Graduate Law Fellowships (Center for AI and Digital Policy) – a program for law school students with a strong interest in AI law and policy to participate in public interest litigation in support of AI and democratic values.
  25. UNIDIR Women in AI Fellowship (United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research) – a program for junior to mid-career women diplomats comprising “a week-long, in-person training programme in Geneva, as well as a series of engagements with relevant experts and stakeholders.”
  26. Equitech Scholars Program (Equitech Futures) – an 8-week technical “program for current undergraduates from all disciplines who want to learn how to use cutting-edge technology tools in data science and artificial intelligence to tackle societal challenges” involving “cohort-based classes, mentorship, and networking opportunities.”
  27. Future Impact Group Fellowship – a 5-10 hour/week program matching postgraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds with senior researchers on AI policy projects, including on national and international policy.

Think tanks working on AI policy

This list isn’t comprehensive, but we hope it’s a useful starting point if you’re interested in think tank work on AI policy.

Congressional committees relevant to AI policy

Since AI policy spans an incredibly wide set of topics, many congressional committees are involved in governing the technology. For a list of committees most involved in AI policy, see this section in part 3 of our Congress guide.

Other policy areas