Want to learn how Washington shapes the rules for artificial intelligence? A short, part-time fellowship is taking applications until 30 October 2026. No technical AI background is needed.
The Foundation for American Innovation (FAI), a Washington, D.C. think tank, is accepting applications for its Conservative AI Policy Fellowship. It is an eight-week, part-time programme for conservative policy professionals and exceptional early-career applicants. It runs from 19 January to 12 March 2027. Fellows are eligible for a $1,500 stipend, and the programme covers meals and retreat costs. Applications close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on 30 October, five days from now.
Here is how it works. Fellows meet once a week at FAI’s office on Capitol Hill, either on a Friday lunchtime or a Tuesday evening. Attendance is required. They also attend a weekend retreat in February, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. The workload is light, at about two to three hours a week for sessions, reading and a short policy memo or project. In the second half, each fellow presents a project with help from an assigned mentor.
The topics are wide. They include AI basics, national security, energy, factories, the race with China, effects on jobs and markets, and AI’s impact on children and families. Past speakers have included Sam Hammond of FAI, Shyam Sankar of Palantir, Alexei Bulazel of the National Security Council and Tim Fist of the Institute for Progress.
Who should apply? FAI says the programme suits people across the conservative policy world. That includes congressional and executive branch staff, think tank and research staff, and tech professionals moving into AI policy. Strong applicants show a clear interest in AI policy and good judgement, and link it to their work. Government staff should check their ethics rules before they accept the stipend. Applicants are asked to share a CV or resume, their LinkedIn profile, their availability and what they hope to gain, and to say if AI helped write their answers.
A note for African readers. The programme is in person in Washington, D.C., and FAI’s page does not say if people from outside the U.S. can join. It does not mention help with travel or visas. If you live abroad or plan to, ask before you apply. You can email fellowships@thefai.org. If you work in or near U.S. policy circles, such as a diaspora professional, a researcher or a staffer in Washington, this could be a useful way to build knowledge and contacts.
Why it matters: The rules for AI are being written now, and many are written in Washington. African governments, startups and researchers feel the effects, from chip export limits to cloud rules. People who know how those debates work can explain them back home and speak up for Africa. A part-time fellowship is one way to learn.
What to watch next: the 30 October deadline, FAI’s answer on applicants from abroad, and who joins the 2027 group.
Sources: Foundation for American Innovation, Conservative AI Policy Fellowship; Opportunity Desk on the 2027 fellowship; Global South Opportunities on the 2027 fellowship.
A note for startup founders: Don’t practice on investors. Practice on AI first. RaiseReady by Index Prima is an AI fundraising simulator for African founders: upload your pitch deck, get a readiness score and face a tough AI investor before the real meeting. Find this post, and every post we publish, at raiseready.indexprima.com.
