The AI Policy Podcast

5.0 (53)
GOVERNMENT
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Join CSIS’s Gregory C. Allen, senior adviser with the Wadhwani AI Centers, on a deep dive into the world of AI policy. Every two weeks, tune in for insightful discussions regarding AI policy regulation, innovation, national security, and geopolitics. The AI Policy Podcast is by the Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technologies at CSIS, a bipartisan think-tank in Washington, D.C.

5D AGO

Anthropic Goes to Court While Claude Goes to War in Iran

In this episode, we provide a detailed update on the Anthropic-Pentagon clash, including the Trump Administration's decision to label Anthropic "a supply chain risk" (4:17), the lawsuits Anthropic has filed in response (11:45), and what these lawsuits and recent reporting reveal about how Claude has been used in the war in Iran (43:20).

1h 3m
MAR 6

A Crash Course on AI Standards with Google DeepMind's Owen Larter

In this episode, we're joined by Owen Larter, Head of Frontier Policy and Public Affairs at Google DeepMind, to explore the often-overlooked world of AI standards and the role they play in shaping how AI is developed and governed. We discuss what standards are and why they matter for technological progress (2:53), how standards are developed and the key organizations involved (16:05), the relationship between standards and AI regulation like the EU AI Act (26:58), and more.

39 min
MAR 3

Andreessen Horowitz's Jai Ramaswamy, Matt Perault: AI Regulation & Innovation

In this episode of the AI Policy Podcast, Wadhwani AI Center senior adviser Gregory C. Allen is joined by Andreessen Horowitz Chief Legal and Policy Officer Jai Ramaswamy and head of AI policy Matt Perault for a discussion on a16z's AI policy agenda. They will cover a16z's entrance into politics, their position on state and federal AI regulation, and how to ensure AI benefits society. Jai Ramaswamy is Chief Legal and Policy Officer at Andreessen Horowitz, overseeing the firm's legal, compliance, and government affairs functions. Previously, he was Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at cLabs. He has also served as the Head of Enterprise Risk Management at Capital One and Global Head of AML Compliance Risk Management at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. Before joining the private sector, Jai worked for over a decade at the Justice Department, including as Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Matt Perault is the head of AI policy at Andreessen Horowitz, where he oversees the firm's policy strategy on AI and helps portfolio companies navigate the AI policy landscape. Before joining a16z, he was the director of the Center on Technology Policy at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He also previously served as head of global policy development at Facebook. Matt is a fellow at the Center on Technology Policy at New York University, the Abundance Institute, and the National Security Institute at the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School.

1h 10m
FEB 25

Inside Anthropic's Standoff with the Pentagon and What It Means for Military AI

In this episode, we break down the escalating Anthropic-Pentagon clash, including the best arguments for either side, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's ultimatum, and the potential consequences of designating Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" or invoking the Defense Production Act (00:34). We then discuss several recent stories that are sparking discourse about the economic impacts of AI (28:58) and a senior government official's claim that DeepSeek's forthcoming model was trained using Nvidia's Blackwell chips and frontier model distillation (45:51).

1 hr
FEB 20

Live from New Delhi: Our Takeaways from the India AI Impact Summit

This special episode was recorded in India on the last day of the India AI Impact Summit. We discuss the highlights of our experience at the Summit (00:25), whether India accomplished its goals for the event (10:25), major AI investments announced (16:01), and key messages from speeches by AI CEOs (19:45) and government officials (28:35).

51 min
FEB 10

Inside The Second International AI Safety Report with Writers Stephen Clare and Stephen Casper

The second International AI Safety Report, released on February 3, brings together insights from over 100 AI experts across 30 countries to assess the current state of frontier AI systems. The report examines advanced models' capabilities, the risks they pose, and the technical and governance measures needed to ensure their safe development and deployment. In this episode of the AI Policy Podcast, Wadhwani AI Center senior adviser Gregory C. Allen is joined by lead writer Stephen Clare and MIT Ph.D. student Stephen Casper, who authored the section on technical safeguards. They discuss how the latest Safety Report compares to the first edition published last year, explore the Report’s findings on technical safeguards, and unpack the document’s key policy implications.

1h 34m
FEB 5

Jennifer Pahlka on Reforming Government for the AI Era

In this special episode recorded at Fathom’s 2026 Ashby Workshops, Greg sits down with Jennifer Pahlka, founder of Code for America and author of Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better. Jennifer walks us through her career journey, from filing paperwork at a child welfare agency to helping pioneer the U.S. Digital Services in the Obama administration (3:45). She describes the need for upstream policy reform (11:29), and discusses AI’s potential to both empower public servants to challenge antiquated practices and help policymakers simplify complex regulations (28:03). Finally, Jennifer shares some AI use cases she’s particularly excited about in government (59:34). Jennifer Pahlka is a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center and the Federation of American Scientists and a senior advisor at the Abundance Network. She previously served as U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer, helping start the U.S. Digital Services under the second Obama administration, and as a member of the Defense Innovation Network. Read Jennifer’s book Recoding America and check out her Substack Eating Policy. Jennifer’s recommended reading: Hack Your Bureaucracy by Marina Nitze & Nick Sinai Crisis Engineering by Marina Nitze, Matthew Weaver, & Mikey Dickerson The Procedure Fetish by Nicholas Bagley Why Nothing Works by Marc J. Dunkelman Kill It with Fire by Marianne Bellotti

1h 10m
JAN 30

The Indian and French Ambassadors to the US on Global AI Summits

This episode cross-posts a fireside chat with the Ambassadors of India and France to the United States, Amb. Vinay Kwatra and Amb. Laurent Bili. The discussion was recorded at the Wadhwani AI Center’s January 30 conference, “Exploring Global AI Policy Priorities Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit.” A full recording of the conference, including additional panels and speakers, can be found here.

36 min

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5

out of 5

53 Ratings

A Must-Listen for Anyone Interested in AI Policy and Innovation

08/28/2024

K5SCM

This series is informative and deeply insightful. The discussions blend technical depth and policy analysis, making complex topics accessible to both experts and those new to the field. I enjoy its focus on the intersection of AI, national security, and geopolitic areas that are often overlooked in mainstream AI discussions by covering nuances of AI regulation, innovation, and the global implications of AI advancements and a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape. Gregory curates a variety of perspectives through interviews with industry leaders, policymakers, and academics. This diversity of viewpoints enriches the conversation and gives a well-rounded view of the issues at hand. This is a great resource that will keep you informed and engaged in a highly dynamic and rapidly evolving technology policy domain. Highly recommended. In addition to the excellent content, the episodes are professionally produced and the audio quality is high. Easy and enjoyable listening.
Clear, concise, and enjoyable

01/27/2024

Arubin17

I learn a lot every episode
Incredible Insight

01/25/2024

HA Schwartz

This is the podcast for you if you want to understand and explore the intersection of AI and the policies that govern it.

Join CSIS’s Gregory C. Allen, senior adviser with the Wadhwani AI Centers, on a deep dive into the world of AI policy. Every two weeks, tune in for insightful discussions regarding AI policy regulation, innovation, national security, and geopolitics. The AI Policy Podcast is by the Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technologies at CSIS, a bipartisan think-tank in Washington, D.C.