IAPS AI Policy Fellowship

The IAPS AI Policy Fellowship is a flagship talent development program of the Institute for AI Policy and Strategy (IAPS), a nonpartisan think tank that produces policy research on the implications of AI, from current frontier models to potential AGI and superintelligence. IAPS was incubated by and operates as a project of Rethink Priorities, a California-based 501(c)(3), though it is in the process of spinning off as a fully independent entity in 2026. The fellowship was launched in 2024 with an inaugural cohort of 12 fellows, who completed an intensive three-month program in summer/fall 2024. The 2025 cohort grew substantially to 31 fellows (27 fellows and 4 senior fellows), running from September 1 to November 21, 2025. The Summer 2026 cohort is scheduled to run June 1 through August 21, 2026. Fellows receive a $15,000 stipend (senior fellows $22,000) to work full-time on independent AI policy projects. The program begins with a mandatory two-week in-person residency in Washington, D.C., where fellows meet IAPS researchers, fellow cohort members, and prominent AI policy experts. Following the residency, fellows spend the remaining ten weeks working with a dedicated expert mentor on projects that may include policy briefs, government briefings, research reports, op-eds, or conference organization. Fellows receive weekly one-on-one coaching from an IAPS Fellowship Coordinator on career development and project management, ongoing feedback from IAPS researchers, access to the IAPS professional network, and in select cases additional financial support to assist career transitions after the program. The fellowship is open to both D.C.-based participants and remote participants globally. No prior policy experience or technical background is required; the program seeks candidates with good judgment and a strong aptitude for understanding AI implications. IAPS's fellowship alumni have gone on to roles at organizations including Microsoft, CNAS, The Future Society, GovAI, the Institute for Progress, and New York University. The parent organization IAPS focuses on three main research areas: Frontier Security (cyber, autonomy, and AI preparedness), Compute Policy (export controls and hardware mechanisms), and International Strategy (US-China competition and global AI governance). IAPS funding comes from Open Philanthropy, the Survival and Flourishing Fund, allied government sources, and individual donors.

Endorsements support Institute for AI Policy and Strategy.

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