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The AI Policy Podcast

The AI Policy Podcast

Center for Strategic and International Studies 94 Episodes Jul 2, 2026

Join CSIS’s Aalok Mehta, Director of the Wadhwani AI Center, on a deep dive into the world of AI policy. Every two weeks, tune in for insightful discussions covering AI regulation, economic impacts, national security, geopolitics, and more. CSIS is a bipartisan think tank in Washington, D.C.

Episodes

Advancing AI Readiness with SeedAI's Austin Carson and Joshua New Jul 2, 2026 2373 In this episode, we're joined by Austin Carson and Joshua New of SeedAI, a nonprofit focused on building AI readiness in the United States. We discuss their backgrounds (00:56), SeedAI's mission and projects (10:28), opportunities and risks from using AI to advance scientific discovery (14:15), and more.
White House Imposes Export Controls on Anthropic's Fable and Tech CEOs Join Heads of State at G7 Summit Jun 25, 2026 1804 In this episode, we're joined by Kate Koren, deputy director of the Economics Program and Scholl Chair at CSIS, to discuss the Trump administration's recent move to impose export controls on Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models. We walk through the events leading up to the administration's decision (:47) and explore what authorities the Commerce Department has to restrict access to AI models (6
Trump Signs Mythos-Inspired Executive Order After Delay and Reps. Obernolte and Trahan Release Draft Federal Framework for AI Jun 11, 2026 2085 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
Bridging the Public-Private Tech Talent Divide with Arun Gupta Jun 4, 2026 2406 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
Pope Leo Weighs in on AI and Trump Postpones Mythos-Inspired Executive Order May 28, 2026 1863 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 u
The Next Chapter of the AI Policy Podcast Apr 16, 2026 481 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 4508 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 t
Inside Project Maven and AI-Powered Warfare with Katrina Manson Mar 26, 2026 3689 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 M
Trump's National AI Framework and Super Micro's Chip Smuggling Indictment Mar 24, 2026 3761  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 3797 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 6, 2026 2324 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 relation
Andreessen Horowitz's Jai Ramaswamy, Matt Perault: AI Regulation & Innovation Mar 3, 2026 4220 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 Rama

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