AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship 2026 – $5,000 Stipend
The AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship is a part-time, hybrid fellowship offered by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). Running from September 30, 2026, to February 28, 2027, the fellowship focuses on frontier AI safety policy and supports participants in moving policy ideas toward implementation. Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend, with applications due by September 7, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.
Quick Overview
Programme: AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship
Opportunity Type: Part-time fellowship
Host Organization: Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
Programme Format: Hybrid
Programme Dates: September 30, 2026 – February 28, 2027
Time Commitment: Average of 5 hours per week / 20 hours per month
Stipend: $5,000
Deadline: September 7, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET
About the AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship
The AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship is a cohort of the Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship focused specifically on frontier AI safety issues.
Each fellow works as a part-time FAS affiliate. The programme supports participants in advancing a policy idea from concept toward implementation through engagement with decision-makers, coalition building, and other policy activities.
The fellowship encourages work across areas including:
• Technical AI safety
• AI governance and policy
• Risk assessment and mitigation for advanced AI systems
• Transparency and accountability in AI development and deployment
FAS is particularly interested in proposals addressing areas such as cybersecurity, capability thresholds, risk taxonomies, critical infrastructure, compute governance, model proliferation, policy design, and governance capacity related to catastrophic AI risks.
Applicants are expected to identify a concrete frontier AI safety problem and present a feasible route toward policy adoption. Possible governance mechanisms include legislation, regulation, standards, procurement, and institutional design.
What Fellows Will Do
The fellowship places emphasis on policy entrepreneurship rather than research alone.
Participants will:
• Develop and publish a policy memo addressing a specific frontier AI safety challenge.
• Propose a practical policy solution and stakeholder-engagement strategy.
• Participate in Policy Entrepreneurship training sessions and reading groups.
• Engage with policymaking processes and learn how to translate technical expertise into practical policy impact.
• Attend an in-person California retreat, tentatively scheduled for November 4–7, 2026.
• Attend an in-person capstone event in Washington, DC, tentatively scheduled for the week of February 22, 2027.
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Benefits and Financial Support
Confirmed fellowship benefits include:
✓ $5,000 stipend
✓ Additional travel stipend for select expenses connected with the California retreat and Washington, DC capstone event
✓ Professional editing of written work developed during the fellowship
✓ Policy-engagement training from Federation of American Scientists staff
✓ Invitations to FAS programming and policy entrepreneurship sessions
✓ Support in connecting with relevant experts and stakeholders
✓ Monthly individual check-ins with a dedicated FAS staff mentor
✓ Additional meetings and communication with FAS staff when needed
The fellow who produces the most specific and actionable policy memo and advocacy plan may also receive an additional $1,000 merit award.
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Eligibility and Selection Criteria
FAS encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds. The fellowship is particularly suited to early- to mid-career professionals with limited direct experience in public policy who want to translate technical or subject-matter expertise into practical policy impact.
Potential applicant backgrounds may include:
• Technical AI research
• Academia
• Think tanks
• Civil society
• Industry
• Law
• Cybersecurity
• National security
• Related disciplines
Applications will be evaluated holistically. FAS is looking for applicants who demonstrate:
• A clear understanding of a significant frontier AI safety, security, or governance challenge.
• A concrete and implementation-oriented policy idea with a credible pathway toward adoption.
• Thoughtful consideration of the institutions, decision-makers, and stakeholders required for implementation.
• An understanding of practical policy challenges and willingness to engage constructively with them.
• Curiosity, initiative, and demonstrated interest in translating ideas into practical policy impact.
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Fellowship Commitment
Fellows must dedicate an average of five hours per week, or 20 hours per month, to the programme from September 30, 2026, through February 28, 2027.
The programme also includes twice-monthly group check-ins and mandatory FAS programming. FAS states that exemptions from mandatory sessions may be considered under exceptional circumstances.
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Application Process
Applications are accepted only through the application platform linked by FAS.
Applicants will be redirected to the official platform and must create an account before submitting their application. Applications submitted through other routes are not accepted for this position.
Application Deadline
Applications for the AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship are due by:
September 7, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.
Official Link
Submit your application through the official application link below.
