Held on campus and led by Georgetown faculty and staff, this immersive, multi-day program provides government employees with a deep dive into foundational and emerging technologies shaping today’s policy landscape.

2025: Spotlight on AI

This year’s program, held August 6th-7th, was a deep dive into how machine learning technologies work, current theories of AI regulation, and top AI areas of consideration at the federal level. This year, the program was expanded to include a number of recently departed federal employees. 

 

Day 1: Setting the AI Legal Landscape

On day one, the program covered foundational legal and ethical challenges in AI, how to distinguish types of AI and their governance needs, avenues for bipartisan collaboration on AI policy, technical literacy in durable tech policy, navigating AI industry hype, and competition and antitrust fundamentals.

Speakers included:

• Natalie Roisman, Executive Director of the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy, delivered opening remarks.
• Paul Ohm, Professor and Chief Data Officer at Georgetown Law, launched the program with an overview of the foundational legal and ethical questions AI presents, drawing from his upcoming casebook and extensive research at the intersection of law and technology.
• David Redl, Founder & CEO of Salt Point Strategies and Senior Fellow at the University of Colorado’s Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, presented a keynote address discussing why technical fluency and bipartisan cooperation are essential ingredients for durable, effective tech policy.
• Kendrea Beers, Research Fellow at Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), presented on different types of AI and their unique governance challenges.
• Erie Meyer and Stephanie T. Nguyen, Senior Research Fellows at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy, and Reed Showalter, Senior Research Fellow at the Knight-Georgetown Institute, shared insights on how to cut through the AI hype. They led a workshop on what’s illegal, what’s harmful, and what staffers need to know in today’s policy landscape.

 

Day 2: State Laws, Global Rules, and Policy in Practice

On day two, the program covered global and regional approaches to AI regulation, evolving state-level legislation in the U.S., oversight of autonomous systems, the role of lawyers in AI governance and policymaking, practical AI use in legal and legislative work, and careers in government tech policy.

Speakers included:

• Anupam Chander, Scott K. Ginsburg Professor of Law and Technology at Georgetown Law, opened with a look at how governments around the world are regulating AI, focusing on regional approaches, cross-border challenges, and implications for U.S. policy.
• Travis R Hall, Director for State Engagement at the Center for Democracy & Technology, presented on Trends in State AI Law and Policy in the Shadow of Federal Moratoriums, highlighting the evolution role of state governments in tech regulation.
• Christabel Randolph, Associate Director of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, and Missy Cummings, Professor and Director at Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center, presented case studies on AI oversight, with particular attention to autonomous AI.
• Ed Walters, CIO of vLex and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law, spoke about AI in the practice of law and lawmaking process.
• John (Heflin) Hopkins-Gillispie, Director of Policy and Product Counsel at Trustible AI, and Matthew Sparks, Justice Fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy, co-taught a session about the White House AI Action Plan and executive orders released in July 2025.
• Maya Kornberg, Senior Research Fellow and Manager of Elections & Government at the Brennan Center for Justice, presented on applications of AI in work.

 

Thank you to all participants and speakers for contributing to this year’s insightful Tech Foundations for Government Staff event. We look forward to seeing you all next year.

View a handout about the event:

Tech Foundations 2025 Agenda 6.26.41 PM