DC AI Guide

July 25–26, 2026

NSEA 2026: National Symposium on Effective & Ethical AI

The 3rd annual National Symposium on Effective & Ethical AI, hosted by Morgan State University's Center for Equitable AI & Machine Learning Systems (CEAMLS). This year's theme, 'Human-AI Collaboration: Empowerment, Agency, and Belonging,' explores how AI systems can augment human capability while preserving human decision-making authority, dignity, and meaningful participation — with sessions on technical design choices, governance frameworks, workforce implications, and real-world case studies. Limited free registration available through sponsor support (Google and others) while spots last.

Presented by Morgan State University CEAMLS

July 26, 2026

10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Museum Discussion: What Happens After Coding Is Solved? | Fiona Fung

An AI Discussion Club walking conversation inside the National Museum of Asian Art, sparked by a podcast interview with Fiona Fung, who leads the Claude Code and Cowork teams at Anthropic. Covers how engineering leadership changes when producing output becomes effortless but ensuring quality remains hard, and how organizations should structure freedom to experiment without compromising stability. Optional lunch follows at OLIO E PIÙ.

Presented by AI Discussion Club

July 28, 2026

6 – 8 PM

Don't Let the AI Companies Think for You: Choosing the Right Model Without Falling for the Upgrade Trap

A Data Community DC talk where Samiksha Kale (AI Engineer, Leidos) and Will Angel (AI Engineer, DroneDeploy) cut through model-release hype to examine real tradeoffs between intelligence, cost, and latency — including cases where newer models underperform older alternatives. At 2112 Pennsylvania Ave NW.

Presented by Data Community DC

July 28, 2026

5:30 – 7:30 PM

Defense Tech DC 017

Monthly social connecting defense tech founders, technologists, policymakers, and government stakeholders. July edition at Pubkey in Penn Quarter. No pitches, no asks — just community.

Presented by Defense Tech DC

July 28, 2026

5:30 – 7:30 PM

AI Demo Night: AWS x AI Collective

A community demo night in Arlington co-hosted by The AI Collective and AWS, featuring food, drinks, and AI project showcases. Space is limited and attendance requires application approval.

Presented by The AI Collective

Learn About AI

Courses, newsletters, and blogs to build your understanding of artificial intelligence — from the basics to the cutting edge.

Generative AI for Everyone

Free course by Andrew Ng — no coding required. Covers how generative AI works, prompt engineering strategies, and real-world applications for any profession.

Beltway Bits

Weekly newsletter rounding up DC tech and AI events, meetups, and community happenings. The go-to guide for staying plugged into the local scene.

Jasmine Sun's Blog

Essays on AI and Silicon Valley culture — an anthropology of disruption. Critical thinking about how technology reshapes society and who it affects.

SCSP AI Expo

Major DC event convening government, academic, and industry leaders to explore AI competitiveness, security, and responsible deployment.

In the Weeds

Hannah Stulberg's Substack with practical AI guides for knowledge workers — from Claude Code workflows to foundational tools and end-to-end productivity strategies.

Machine Speed

Daria's weekly threat landscape update for people who need to understand what machine-speed conflict looks like — tracking AI-enabled cyber attacks, AI-enabled defenses, and the policy frameworks struggling to keep pace.

Don't Worry About the Vase

Zvi Mowshowitz's Substack covering AI developments, policy, and safety — known for thorough weekly AI roundups, careful reasoning about emerging risks, and pragmatic takes on regulation.

MIT AI Risk Repository

Comprehensive database of 1,700+ AI risks drawn from existing frameworks, organized by causal factors and risk domain — a free reference for researchers, policymakers, and regulators mapping the AI threat landscape.

NIST AI

Federal AI standards, research, and public events from the National Institute of Standards and Technology — including the AI Risk Management Framework, AI agent standards, and regular public webinars.

SeedAI

DC-based nonprofit advancing AI readiness through policy guidance, literacy programs, and stakeholder convenings — helping policymakers and communities navigate AI's risks and opportunities.

POPVOX Foundation

Nonpartisan nonprofit helping democratic institutions adapt to AI and emerging technology — with practical guides, training, and research for legislators and civic organizations.

Congressional Committee Calendar

Track upcoming congressional hearings relevant to AI — especially from Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation and House Science, Space & Technology, which regularly hold public hearings on AI policy.

Data Community DC

DC community calendar for data science and AI events — technical meetups, industry panels, and AI-for-government programming with local experts and practitioners.

The AI Collective DC

DC chapter of a global AI community connecting local professionals and enthusiasts through events like AI on the Hill Demo Night — building the human layer for the AI era.

AI Policy Hub

Will Rinehart's project at the American Enterprise Institute tracking AI policy across all levels of government — state bill trackers, federal legislation, executive actions, official datasets, and economic research on regulatory tradeoffs.

AI on the Ballot

Nonpartisan platform tracking where 2026 U.S. congressional candidates stand on AI policy across ten topics — export controls, military uses, regulation, data centers, workforce, deepfakes, IP, and child safety. Look up your district by zip code. Run by Evitable.

AI Reading List for Policy People

Curated GitHub reading list for policy professionals getting up to speed on AI — covering agentic coding tools, intro AI classes, sector-specific impacts (semiconductors, biotech, cybersecurity), and 38+ AI newsletters and Substacks grouped by topic. Aimed at non-developers who need to talk intelligently with technical staff.

AWS Arlington Skills Center

Free in-person AI and cloud computing training at Amazon's Arlington, VA facility — hands-on labs, workshops, and career resources for job seekers and career changers in the DC metro.

AI Policy Daily

Daily email newsletter from the AI Policy Institute, a DC-based nonprofit, briefing on frontier AI governance — federal regulation, congressional developments, international relations, and industry actions, with curated top stories and links to source reporting.

Mitigate Risks

Resources for understanding and reducing the potential harms of AI — from concentration of power to misuse and misalignment.

Beltway Bits

Weekly newsletter rounding up DC tech and AI events, meetups, and community happenings. The go-to guide for staying plugged into the local scene.

Jasmine Sun's Blog

Essays on AI and Silicon Valley culture — an anthropology of disruption. Critical thinking about how technology reshapes society and who it affects.

Public AI Network

Coalition advancing AI as public infrastructure — provisioned like electricity, water, libraries, or the Internet — and accountable to the public interest. Backed by Metagov, Mozilla, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Offers a Slack community, seminar series, white papers, and open-source projects.

Renaissance Philanthropy Programs

Communities of ARPA program managers, policy entrepreneurs, and science accelerators working on responsible innovation and directing resources toward societal benefit.

Machine Speed

Don't Worry About the Vase

Zvi Mowshowitz's Substack covering AI developments, policy, and safety — known for thorough weekly AI roundups, careful reasoning about emerging risks, and pragmatic takes on regulation.

MIT AI Risk Repository

NIST AI

SeedAI

DC-based nonprofit advancing AI readiness through policy guidance, literacy programs, and stakeholder convenings — helping policymakers and communities navigate AI's risks and opportunities.

POPVOX Foundation

Nonpartisan nonprofit helping democratic institutions adapt to AI and emerging technology — with practical guides, training, and research for legislators and civic organizations.

Maximize Benefits

Communities and programs applying AI for social good — in health, climate, civic life, and economic opportunity.

Generative AI for Everyone

Free course by Andrew Ng — no coding required. Covers how generative AI works, prompt engineering strategies, and real-world applications for any profession.

The Upskilling Labs

Hands-on community learning in AI applied to health, climate, and civics. Anchored in local libraries and community spaces, serving underserved populations.

Renaissance Philanthropy Programs

Communities of ARPA program managers, policy entrepreneurs, and science accelerators working on responsible innovation and directing resources toward societal benefit.

Startups & AI Walks

In-person AI community walks in DC fostering connections, conversations, and new ideas among practitioners, founders, and the AI-curious.

In the Weeds

Hannah Stulberg's Substack with practical AI guides for knowledge workers — from Claude Code workflows to foundational tools and end-to-end productivity strategies.

SeedAI

DC-based nonprofit advancing AI readiness through policy guidance, literacy programs, and stakeholder convenings — helping policymakers and communities navigate AI's risks and opportunities.

POPVOX Foundation

Nonpartisan nonprofit helping democratic institutions adapt to AI and emerging technology — with practical guides, training, and research for legislators and civic organizations.

Data Community DC

DC community calendar for data science and AI events — technical meetups, industry panels, and AI-for-government programming with local experts and practitioners.

The AI Collective DC

DC chapter of a global AI community connecting local professionals and enthusiasts through events like AI on the Hill Demo Night — building the human layer for the AI era.

AWS Arlington Skills Center

Free in-person AI and cloud computing training at Amazon's Arlington, VA facility — hands-on labs, workshops, and career resources for job seekers and career changers in the DC metro.

Protect the Vulnerable

Efforts to ensure AI serves everyone — especially communities most likely to be affected by automated decision-making.

Jasmine Sun's Blog

Essays on AI and Silicon Valley culture — an anthropology of disruption. Critical thinking about how technology reshapes society and who it affects.

Public AI Network

The Upskilling Labs

Hands-on community learning in AI applied to health, climate, and civics. Anchored in local libraries and community spaces, serving underserved populations.

Career Guides

Overviews, FAQs, and roadmaps for breaking into AI policy — from entry-level to mid-career pivots.

Horizon Institute

Emerging Technology Policy Careers — AI Policy

Horizon's deep-dive guide to AI policy careers — covering the landscape of DC institutions, key roles, career pathways, and curated readings for anyone exploring work in AI governance.

80,000 Hours

The US AI Policy Landscape

In-depth overview of the US AI policy ecosystem — mapping federal agencies, congressional committees, think tanks, and industry groups to help you identify where you can have the biggest impact.

80,000 Hours

Career Review: AI Governance and Coordination

Comprehensive career review covering what AI governance work looks like, who's a good fit, how to get started, and how the field compares to other high-impact career paths.

B Cavello

How to Get into AI Policy?

Practical, experience-based advice on breaking into AI policy — covering how to build relevant skills, find entry points, and navigate a field that doesn't have a single obvious door.

Miles Brundage

FAQs and General Advice on AI Policy Careers

Candid answers to common questions about AI policy careers — from a veteran of OpenAI and the White House OSTP. Covers what backgrounds are useful, how to stand out, and what the work actually looks like.

Horizon Institute for Public Service

Fellowships & Programs

Paid fellowships and cohort programs placing people in AI policy roles across government, think tanks, and industry.

Horizon Fellowship

Fully-funded fellows placed at federal agencies, congressional offices, and think tanks to tackle AI, biotech, and emerging tech policy challenges. Includes policy training, mentorship, and a close-knit community — up to two years.

Horizon Institute for Public Service

Career Accelerator

A nine-month, part-time, remote program that helps students, recent grads, and career-changers break into AI policy. Pick-and-choose support: mentorship, up to $50k in flexible funding, application coaching, networking intros, and optional training modules. No minimum experience required.

TechCongress

Congressional Innovation Fellowship

Places technologists in congressional offices and committees to shape tech policy from the inside. Fellows have served under leaders from both parties — from Speaker Pelosi to Majority Leader Thune.

AI Policy Leadership Network

A part-time program strengthening relationships among AI policy leaders in government, think tanks, and industry. Monthly evening discussions in DC with key figures in AI policy, plus a Bay Area learning trip. No homework — designed to be compatible with demanding full-time roles.

Foundation for American Innovation

Conservative AI Policy Fellowship

An eight-week, part-time fellowship for conservative policy professionals in DC seeking to understand AI and the debates around emerging technology. Work-compatible and designed for those already in the policy world.

American Association for the Advancement of Science

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship

Opportunities for scientists and engineers to learn first-hand about federal policymaking while using their knowledge and skills to address today's most pressing societal challenges. One of the longest-running S&T policy fellowship programs in the country.

RAND Corporation

CAST Fellowship

Develops new generations of policy analysts at the intersection of technology and security. Fellows research AI security, technology policy and governance, or biosecurity with mentorship from RAND experts. Six-month to three-year terms, full- or part-time, with stipends from $40k to $200k based on experience. Open to undergrads through mid-career professionals.

Job Board

Open roles in AI policy, governance, and civic tech around DC — curated by the community.

Associate Program Officer, U.S. AI Policy

Help stand up Coefficient Giving's new U.S. AI Policy team, strengthening the organizations best positioned to shape how AI governance develops.

DCPolicy

Posted Jul 8, 2026 · $254k

Senior Program Associate, U.S. AI Policy

Support the founding U.S. AI Policy team at Coefficient Giving, helping build institutional capacity for thoughtful U.S. AI governance and durable, cross-partisan coalitions.

DCPolicy

Posted Jul 8, 2026 · $189k

Program Officer, U.S. AI Policy

Lead programs and grantmaking on Coefficient Giving's founding U.S. AI Policy team, laying the groundwork for thoughtful U.S. governance of AI.

DCPolicy

Posted Jul 8, 2026 · $280k

Chief of Staff, Public Policy

Drive operations and strategy for Coefficient Giving's Public Policy team and its new U.S. AI Policy effort under managing director Caleb Watney.

DCPolicy

Posted Jul 8, 2026 · $167k–$248k

Join a Community

Ongoing groups and channels where you can connect with others working on AI policy, governance, and civic tech in DC.

Slack

Public AI Slack

An open Slack community exploring how publicly-owned AI infrastructure can strengthen democracy and serve the public interest.

Luma

AI Discussion Club

Hosts outdoor discussion walks and meetups exploring AI's impact on work, society, and the future. DC-based and welcoming to newcomers.

Luma

Civic Tech DC

A community of technologists, designers, and policy advocates building technology for civic good in DC.

Slack

The Upskilling Labs

Open learning pods applying AI to health, climate, and civics — join anytime, no gatekeeping. Anchored in libraries and community spaces, serving underserved populations.

Campus

Claude Builder Club at UMD

An inclusive student community at the University of Maryland for exploring AI development, building projects, and learning about AI's benefits and risks. Open to all majors and skill levels.

Campus

Claude Builder Club at Georgetown

A Georgetown University student club for building with AI — workshops, hackathons, Anthropic-led panels, and hands-on projects. Open to students of all experience levels.