Applications are Open for the IAPS AI Policy Fellowship

This is a fully-funded, 3-month fellowship for professionals looking to pivot into AI policy. Whether you come from tech, public service, law, or academia, you’ll gain the skills, mentorship, and network to make an impact.

🗓️ Fellowship dates: June 1 – August 21, 2026

📍 Participate remotely or in-person from Washington, D.C.

💬 Work one-on-one with an AI policy expert to collaborate on their portfolio of work

💼 Receive a stipend of $15,000 (Fellows) or $22,000 (Senior Fellows) to work full-time (part-time options available for exceptional candidates).

Join a cohort of policy professionals, technologists, and researchers working to secure a positive future in a world with powerful AI.

About the Fellowship

Fellows join IAPS to conduct an independent AI policy project, with mentorship from a leading expert in the field. Each fellow is paired with a mentor, either from the IAPS team or from within in our network. 

Tackle real-world AI policy challenges

Fellows will begin with a two week, in-person residency in D.C. for the start of the Fellowship, from June 1-12th. During the kickoff residency, they will explore the AI policy landscape and get the opportunity to meet other fellows, IAPS researchers, and a variety of AI policy experts.

Afterwards, they will spend the remaining 10 weeks working with an AI policy expert, who will mentor them on projects that will influence national and global AI policies. Key policy fields include national security implications of AI, government acquisition and procurement of AI, CBRN capabilities of AI models, export controls, evaluations, geopolitics of AI, hardware-enabled mechanisms, jurisdictionally-focused policy questions (e.g., U.S., U.K., and E.U.), among several others.

Fellows’ projects can have a variety of formats depending on each expert and fellowship coordinator, and will be set in partnership with each fellow. Examples of projects that fellows have worked on include: 

• Authoring policy briefs or memos
• Giving briefings or presentations to government officials 
• Writing or contributing to a research report
• Organizing a 200-attendee international conference
• Publishing an op-ed about a salient or neglected AI policy issue
• Providing strategic advice to a think tank expanding their operations to a new jurisdiction
• Helping streamline the operations of a newly-created AI policy organization 
• Shaping the strategy for and helping run a track II event

These concrete outputs help strengthen fellows’ AI policy track record while achieving impactful outcomes.

Preparing you for after the Fellowship

The Fellowship is designed to support a smooth transition into an AI policy career. Whether you're aiming to work in government, a think tank, or industry, the program equips you with the skills, knowledge, and connections needed to succeed.

In addition to working closely with a leading expert in the field, fellows receive:

• Weekly one-on-one coaching from an IAPS Fellowship Coordinator focused on career development, project management, and productivity;
• Ongoing support from IAPS researchers and policy staff, including direct feedback on their projects, such as via weekly work-in-progress sessions;
• Access to our professional network, including many networking opportunities during our two-week kickoff in DC; and
• Additional financial assistance, in select cases, to support career transitions after the program.

The program is well suited for both those with policy experience looking to transition into AI, or those with AI expertise looking to build more policy experience. Alumni of the Fellowship have gone on to full-time roles in industry, government, and at top think tanks like RAND, the Institute for Progress, the Center for Health Security and IAPS itself.

Apply by February 2, 23:59 PM Pacific Time