The AI Policy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Trump Signs Mythos-Inspired Executive Order After Delay and Reps. Obernolte and Trahan Release Draft Federal Framework for AI Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, we unpack the Mythos-inspired executive order "Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security," which the Trump administration issued on June 2 after an initial delay (2:10). We also cover the draft federal AI framework released by Reps. Jay Obernolte and Lori Trahan (14:53) and recent proposals for the U.S. government to acquire shares of American AI companies (24:55).

Bridging the Public-Private Tech Talent Divide with Arun Gupta Jun 04, 2026

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In this episode of the AI Policy Podcast, Wadhwani AI Center Director Aalok Mehta is joined by Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach Foundation and experienced venture capitalist, for a discussion on bridging the technology talent gap between the private and public sectors. They will cover the mission and accomplishments of NobleReach, the newly launched US Tech Force and its implications for AI adoption across the federal government, and how AI is reshaping opportunities for the next generation of workers. Arun Gupta is CEO of NobleReach Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young technologists to move between the private and public sectors. He is the co-author of two books, Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society and The Mission Generation: Reclaim Your Purpose, Rewrite Success, Rebuild Our Future. Arun is also a Lecturer at Stanford University and an Adjunct Entrepreneurship Professor and Senior Advisor to the Provost at Georgetown University. This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.

Pope Leo Weighs in on AI and Trump Postpones Mythos-Inspired Executive Order May 28, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Aalok Mehta makes his first appearance as the new host of the AI Policy Podcast. We briefly discuss what listeners can expect in this new chapter of the podcast before diving into Pope Leo XIV's recent encyclical on AI (1:45). We also cover President Trump's postponed executive order on AI and cybersecurity, including what the EO likely contained and why its signing ceremony was ultimately called off (18:09).

The Next Chapter of the AI Policy Podcast Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, founding host Gregory C. Allen announces his departure from CSIS and introduces Aalok Mehta, Director of the Wadhwani AI Center, as the new host of the AI Policy Podcast.

Unpacking Russian Military AI with Kateryna Bondar Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, we are joined by Wadhwani AI Center fellow Kateryna Bondar to discuss her recent reports on Russia's military AI, "How Russia Is Building a Sovereign Drone Ecosystem for AI-Driven Autonomy" and "How Russia Is Reshaping Command and Control for AI-Enabled Warfare."

We cover Kateryna's background (1:07) before doing a deep dive into the role technological innovation has played in the conflict in Ukraine (7:49). Kateryna then explains why AI capabilities in warfare "cannot be built, can only be grown" (22:24) and unpacks the report's claim that Russia has likely fielded a fully autonomous unmanned system in combat (53:02).

Read Kateryna's report on Russia's AI-enabled C2 architecture here.

Read her report on Russia's sovereign drone ecosystem here.

Inside Project Maven and AI-Powered Warfare with Katrina Manson Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

In this special episode, we sit down with Katrina Manson, author of Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare. We explore what drew Katrina to this story (2:31), trace the turbulent history of Project Maven and the obstacles it has overcome (8:03), examine how the U.S. leveraged Maven to support Ukraine against Russia (31:32), and discuss Katrina's latest reporting on Maven's role in the ongoing conflict with Iran (47:40).

You can order a copy of Katrina's book here.

Trump's National AI Framework and Super Micro's Chip Smuggling Indictment Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, we unpack President Trump's new national framework for AI legislation (11:15), including reactions from experts and policymakers (39:44). We also discuss the indictment of a Super Micro co-founder for smuggling Nvidia chips into China (42:59) and Nvidia receiving permission to sell H200 chips to China (57:04).

Anthropic Goes to Court While Claude Goes to War in Iran Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

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).

A Crash Course on AI Standards with Google DeepMind's Owen Larter Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

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.

Andreessen Horowitz's Jai Ramaswamy, Matt Perault: AI Regulation & Innovation Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

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.

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