Highlights from Our Capitol Hill Briefing
Updated: Oct 1
On September 17, the A-I Policy Forum hosted a briefing for congressional staff on the future of AI governance. The event brought together technical experts, policy leaders, and civil society advocates around a growing national consensus: raw compute power and hardware are not enough to sustain technological leadership. Unlocking the full promise of AI-enabled progress requires balancing rapid innovation with a complementary framework grounded in civic and regulatory guardrails designed to protect and support the American people through this moment of rapid transformation, serve the public interest, and expand capacity across the country to shape how AI is developed and deployed.
Featured Speakers:
Alex Roark
CEO, A-I Policy Forum
Narda Jones
Principal, Acacia Hill Strategies;
Former FCC Chief of Staff & Legislative Director, The White House
Jina John
Senior Policy Counsel (AI, Privacy, and Technology), ACLU
Matt Altomare
Senior Director, Cybersecurity Programs, Aspen Digital
Tristan H. Brown
VP, Infrastructure, Energy & Environment, Business Roundtable
Big Bets in AI Policy Fellows:
Chris Correa
Vice President of Engineering, Code for America
Elyse Shaw
Director, Education and Labor Justice, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Francella Ochillo
Attorney and Public Interest Policy Leader
Jonathan Walter
Senior Policy Counsel, Center for Civil Rights & Technology,
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Marcus Courtney
Co-facilitator, Unemployment Insurance Technology Coordinating Coalition
Sabia Prescott
Education State Policy Advisor, Squadbuck
Key Discussion Themes
Defining a Resilient Governance Model: Panelists outlined practical strategies to balance rapid technological innovation with clear consumer protections. The discussion focused on workforce readiness, supporting K-12 students and teachers through educational transitions, and strengthening consumer privacy and security as the foundation for building long-term consumer trust and confidence. Speakers emphasized that public trust and safety are essential catalysts—not obstacles—for long-term American competitiveness.
Introducing the Inaugural Big Bets Fellows: The event celebrated the newly announced cohort of senior civil society leaders. Joining the A-I Policy Forum’s nonpartisan policy lab, these fellows are leading a dedicated policy sprint to translate high-level governance principles into actionable, bipartisan legislative solutions that modernize consumer privacy laws, prepare the workforce for technological shifts, protect civil liberties, and ensure everyday Americans share in the economic benefits of AI.
What’s Next: The Policy Sprint Begins
The Capitol Hill briefing marks the launch of an intensive policy sprint for our newly named Big Bets in AI Fellows. Over the coming months, this cohort will author implementation-ready policy memos; publish companion op-eds that model a productive public interest narrative rooted in shared societal values; and engage directly with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to provide hands-on technical assistance.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Capitol and contributed to this vital national dialogue. Stay tuned for upcoming policy briefings and published outputs from our inaugural cohort.
