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AI policy

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

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

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.

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.

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. (Note that the Horizon Fellowship and this website are both projects of the Horizon Institute for Public Service.)
  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. 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.
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. US Google Public Policy Fellowship – 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)
  8. 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
  9. Science & Technology Policy Fellowship (Aspen Tech Policy Hub) – a full-time, paid, three-week program teaching science and technology professional about policy
  10. 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 early career for graduate degree holders and current graduate students
  11. 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”.
  12. 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”)
  13. Emerging Scholars in Technology Policy (Princeton University, Center for Information Technology Policy) – a 2-year tech policy research position with coursework and mentoring
  14. Policy Hackers, Foundation for American Innovation (FAI) – a part-time non-residential fellowship “for tech professionals interested in building expertise in the theory and practice of public policy…This programming will include opportunities to meet and learn from top lobbyists, scholars, public relations specialists, and government policymakers.”
  15. 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.”
  16. 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
  17. Technology and Geopolitics Fellowship (Belfer Center, Harvard Kennedy School) – 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”
  18. 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”
  19. 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
  20. UNIDIR Women in AI Fellowship (United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research) – 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.”
  21. 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”

Congressional committees relevant to AI policy

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

Federal agency profiles

These guides provide information on specific federal agencies working on issues related to AI policy, including lists of major policy developments and relevant offices.

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 > The National Economic Council (NEC) & Domestic Policy Council (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 diverse roles in data, innovation, and industry support. It plays a key role in AI, overseeing standard-setting and semiconductor manufacturing and exports, including via BIS and NIST.

DOC > Bureau of Industry and 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.

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 policy through multiple levers, such as funding for research, procurement, and strategic guidance and policy documents.

DOD > Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD)

OSD is responsible for policy development, planning, resource management and program evaluation. OSD runs several AI-relevant lines of effort, including investing in AI research, integrating AI into the military, establishing DOD’s AI strategy, and more.

Department 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 technology development and policy, including AI, particularly via its national labs.

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 Homeland Security (DHS)

DHS is integral to US national security, handling cybersecurity, counterterrorism, border security, and disaster response. DHS’s role in AI policy is growing, focusing on potential security threats in cybersecurity, election security, and critical infrastructure protection.

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.

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.

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