Applications are open for the 2026 AI Innovation & Security Policy Workshop, a three-day event in Washington, DC for people exploring careers in AI policy. The workshop runs August 21-23, and is co-hosted by the Horizon Institute for Public Service and the Foundation for American Innovation.

The event helps participants clarify whether and how to pursue a career in AI policy. Over the course of the workshop, participants will meet senior AI policy practitioners in the administration, on Capitol Hill, and at leading think tanks; explore the substance of AI policy through panels, breakouts, and Q&As; and build relationships with peers considering similar career transitions. All travel and accommodation costs are covered.

What past participants took away

Last year’s workshop brought 42 participants to DC for three days of sessions, dinners, and networking. Nearly 90% of attendees reported being more excited about pursuing a policy career afterward, and many credited the event with shaping concrete next steps.

Horizon workshop participants have said:

  • “Horizon gave me the confidence to change my career and move to DC to work in government. I also gained a new network of friends and learned about emerging tech.”
  • “It was really invigorating getting to interact with so many smart, thoughtful people who want to make change in the AI space.”
  • “I doubt I would have made the transition into policy without the Horizon workshop.”

Attendees from last year’s workshop are now working at or affiliated with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, the House Select Committee on the CCP, the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the Foundation for American Innovation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and other leading institutions in AI policy and industry.

Who should apply

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experience levels interested in AI policy careers in and around the U.S. federal government. No prior policy experience is required.

At past events, participants have included:

  • Engineers at major tech companies, AI labs, and hardware startups
  • PhD students in machine learning, international relations, life sciences, economics, and other fields
  • US military personnel
  • Analysts at trading firms and consultancies
  • Technology-focused law students and associates at law firms
  • Mid-career professionals exploring pivots into AI policy from adjacent fields
  • Exceptional undergraduates from universities around the country

What you can expect

The workshop will cover the central issues of AI innovation and security policy, including but not limited to:

  • Federal R&D funding, innovation policy, and other market-shaping tools
  • National security applications and implications of AI
  • Global technological competition, export controls, and China’s AI ecosystem
  • AI and cybersecurity
  • Government use of AI and federal policymaking
  • The labor market impacts of AI
  • AI’s impact on free speech and child protection online

Programming will include panels, Q&As, and small-group breakouts led by AI policy practitioners. Outside the formal sessions, participants will have time to meet hiring managers, hear about open roles in the field, and connect with others making similar career transitions. Many past participants have gone on to join other Horizon and FAI programs after attending the workshop, including FAI’s Conservative AI Policy Fellowship, the Horizon Fellowship, and the Horizon AI policy Career Accelerator.

Add to Calendar

Google Calendar Outlook/iCal