Washington, DC

DC AI Guide

Your guide to DC's AI policy community

Find the events, communities, and resources for getting involved in AI policy, governance, and civic technology in Washington, DC.

New to the space? Start here.

  1. 1Go to an event — AI Discussion Club walks are beginner-friendly and free.
  2. 2Join a community — Civic Tech DC connects builders and policy advocates.
  3. 3Follow a newsletter — Beltway Bits covers DC tech and AI events.

Upcoming Events

In-person and virtual gatherings in DC where you can learn, connect, and get involved.

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October 7–10, 2026

Marvelous Education Alliance Symposium + Ed Games Expo

The mEducation Alliance's 16th annual global symposium, gathering roughly 250 representatives from ministries of education, donors, funders, practitioners, and researchers, with an AI & Digital Literacy track alongside STEMtastic Adventures, Wondrous Learning, and foundational literacy and numeracy. October 7 is Alliance Member Day and October 8–9 is the General Symposium, both by invitation; the Marvelous Education Festival and Ed Games Expo on October 10 is open to the public with exhibits, demos, and hands-on workshops. Held at Mason Fuse on George Mason University's Arlington campus and in Washington, DC.

Presented by mEducation Alliance

RSVP
October 10, 2026
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Outdoor Discussion Walk: AI for Math & Science | Terence Tao

An AI Discussion Club walk from Foggy Bottom to the National Academy of Sciences and back, built around a Terence Tao keynote on AI that generates and verifies proofs faster than mathematics can absorb them. Optional lunch after.

Presented by AI Discussion Club

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October 13, 2026
4:30 – 8:30 PM

Upskilling Summit #3: Showcase Civics and Elections and Kick-off Q4 build cycle

The Upskilling Labs' third Summit showcases AI projects from the Civics and Elections Build Cycle and kicks off the next quarterly build cycle (theme TBD). Features project demos, a moderated panel, tabling, and networking. Hosted at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.

Presented by The Upskilling Labs

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October 13, 2026
5:30 – 8 PM

The DMV Tech Super Meetup

An evening bringing the DMV's tech communities together at Capital One Center 1 in McLean, with an AI panel with Capital One, community showcases, and an expo. Represented groups include AI Build Club, Civic Tech DC, Generative AI DC, and Code & Coffee. Host approval required.

Presented by The Super Meetup

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October 14, 2026
9 AM – 5 PM

AI+ Robotics

SCSP's AI+ Summit on how the U.S. can turn advances in AI and robotics into industrial capacity and deploy intelligent machines at scale. Panels, fireside chats, and tech-talk demos with speakers from Path Robotics, Standard Bots, FANUC America, NVIDIA, and the Association for Advancing Automation.

Presented by Special Competitive Studies Project

RSVP
October 14, 2026
5:30 – 7:30 PM

Local LLMs - Agentic Software Engineering Meetup

A Data Community DC meetup for software engineers using AI coding agents, focused this session on running local LLMs for coding — the hardware needed, live demos, and the tradeoffs of going local. At the Central Library's Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium in Arlington.

Presented by Data Community DC

RSVP

Resources

Courses, newsletters, trackers, career guides, fellowships, and organizations across the DC AI landscape — filter by the kind of thing you're after.

DeepLearning.AI

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.

Courses & Training
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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.

Courses & Training
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Amazon Web Services

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.

Courses & Training
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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.

Newsletters & Blogs
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AI Policy Institute

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.

Newsletters & Blogs
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Zvi Mowshowitz

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.

Newsletters & Blogs
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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.

Newsletters & Blogs
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Hannah Stulberg

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.

Newsletters & Blogs
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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.

Newsletters & Blogs
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MIT

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.

Trackers & Databases
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American Enterprise Institute

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.

Trackers & Databases
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Evitable

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.

Trackers & Databases
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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.

Trackers & Databases
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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.

Trackers & Databases
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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.

Career Guides
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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.

Career Guides
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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.

Career Guides
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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.

Career Guides
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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.

Career Guides
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Horizon Institute for Public Service

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.

Applications open · closes Aug 30, 2026Fellowships & Programs
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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.

Applications closed Jun 21, 2026Fellowships & Programs
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Horizon Institute for Public Service

AI Rapid Response Fellowship

A one-year placement in a federal office helping the government respond to fast-moving AI security challenges. Horizon recruits a specialized cohort of technical and policy talent — distinct from the main fellowship.

Applications closed Jul 27, 2026Fellowships & Programs
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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.

Applications closed · reopens summer 2027Fellowships & Programs
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AI Policy Leadership Network

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.

Applications closedFellowships & Programs
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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.

Applications closed · reopens Winter 2027 cohortFellowships & Programs
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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.

Applications open · closes Nov 1, 2026Fellowships & Programs
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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.

Rolling applications · next cutoff Nov 1, 2026Fellowships & Programs
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Supervised Program for Alignment Research

SPAR

A three-month remote research program pairing mentees with experienced mentors on AI safety, policy, security, interpretability, and biosecurity projects, ending in a Demo Day. Open to undergrads through working professionals with a technical or policy background; no prior research experience required. 5–40 hours a week, unpaid, with compute and API costs covered.

Applications closed · reopens December 2026Fellowships & Programs
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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.

Organizations
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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.

Organizations
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POPVOX Foundation

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

Organizations
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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.

Organizations
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Renaissance Philanthropy

Renaissance Philanthropy Programs

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

Organizations
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Job Board

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

Showing 25 of 569 roles

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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 10, 2026$167,100–$226,100
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 10, 2026$143,700–$194,400
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 10, 2026$153,600–$207,800
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AnthropicNot statedcloses Oct 10, 2026$295k–$345k
Apply
AnthropicHybridcloses Oct 10, 2026$285k–$330k
Apply
MetaNot statedcloses Oct 10, 2026$122k–$180k
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MetaNot statedcloses Oct 10, 2026$184k–$257k
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MicrosoftRemotecloses Oct 10, 2026$102,100–$202,200
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 11, 2026$142,800–$193,200
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 11, 2026$143,700–$194,400
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 11, 2026$220,100–$297,700
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 11, 2026$168,100–$227,400
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Safe AI ForumRemotecloses Oct 11, 2026$258,634–$353,716
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AmazonRemotecloses Oct 12, 2026$208,300–$281,800
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 13, 2026$131,300–$177,600
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Defense Counterintelligence and Security AgencyNot statedcloses Oct 13, 2026$81,901–$129,717
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Library of CongressNot statedcloses Oct 13, 2026$151,661–$228,000
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Smithsonian InstitutionRemotecloses Oct 13, 2026$107,446–$139,684
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U.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionIn personcloses Oct 13, 2026$153,114–$259,402
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 14, 2026$153,600–$207,800
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 14, 2026$137,800–$186,400
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AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 14, 2026$153,600–$207,800
Apply
AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 15, 2026$200,100–$270,600
Apply
AmazonNot statedcloses Oct 15, 2026$153,600–$207,800
Apply
National Security AgencyIn personcloses Oct 15, 2026$87,362–$197,200
Apply

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.

Join
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.

Join
Luma

Civic Tech DC

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Community

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.

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Luma

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.

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Luma

Startups & AI Walks

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

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Event

SCSP AI Expo

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

Join