Institute for AI Policy and Strategy (IAPS)

From IAPS researchers Christopher Covino and Oscar Delaney's article in The Cipher Brief: Artificial intelligence is at the center of the U.S.-China rivalry, with companies in both nations racing to develop and deploy leading AI systems. The success of China’s DeepSeek model revealed just how fragile America’s lead is – with experts estimating Chinese AI capabilities lag only 7-10 months behind the U.S. While America’s position appears more tenuous than before, massive US investment and the compounding effects of semiconductor export controls suggest the the U.S. can maintain or even expand its lead. However, this advantage hinges on America’s ability to safeguard its breakthroughs from theft and sabotage. While attention focuses on publicly available models like ChatGPT, the real risk to U.S. national interests is the theft of unreleased “internal models.” These AI systems being developed, tested, and deployed behind closed doors represent the frontier of American AI innovation. If stolen, they could be used to strengthen Chinese military capabilities and economic competitiveness. AI companies cannot secure these critical assets alone. To preserve America’s technological edge, the U.S. government must work with AI developers to secure these internal models. Link in the comments.

On Jan 23, 2025, the Trump Administration issued Executive Order 14179, committing to strengthening America’s leadership in AI for economic growth, national security, and global competitiveness. To make this vision a reality, the AI Action Plan is being developed with input from across sectors. The Institute for AI Policy and Strategy (IAPS) contributed targeted recommendations focused on the fundamental security, standards, and processes that will enable America to achieve the AI golden age. We urged the Administration to prioritize three key areas: 🔹 Building trust in AI – Strengthen security & reliability standards to ensure AI systems are safe, resilient, and widely adopted. 🔹 Protecting America’s tech edge – Prevent adversaries from accessing critical AI-enabling hardware. 🔹 Staying adaptive – Develop systems to assess and respond to rapidly evolving AI capabilities. By addressing these areas, the U.S. can foster innovation while ensuring AI remains a force for economic and national security. A well-crafted plan will position America for long-term success in the AI era. AI is evolving fast, and the right policies now will shape the future. Read our full recommendations in the comments on how the U.S. can lead with confidence and integrity. ⬇️

In an article for AI Policy Bulletin, IAPS researcher Erich Grunewald writes that AI chip smuggling into China is not just happening—it's the norm. Estimates suggest 100,000+ banned NVIDIA chips were smuggled last year alone, creating a massive black market worth billions. But how does smuggling actually work, and why does it matter? Read more in the PDF.

AI companies’ safety research leaves important gaps. ⚠️ Oscar Delaney 🔸and Oliver Guest from Institute for AI Policy and Strategy (IAPS) argue that governments and philanthropists should fill them. (Link in comment) Omidyar Network Yuko Harayama Abhishek Singh Nicholas Dirks #aigovernance

IAPS researchers Shaun Ee & Jam Kraprayoon wrote a piece on AI policy in Southeast Asia, now published on the The Brookings Institution website. Read more: https://bit.ly/4gMYFqL

2024 IAPS fellow Christian Chung has been selected for the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) Next Gen National Security Fellowship! Congratulations, Christian C. —we can't wait to see what you'll contribute!

Congratulations to Sumaya Nur Adan for making the list of 2025's 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics! Sumaya was a 2024 IAPS Fellow, and we're proud to see her ongoing contributions to advancing AI ethics. See the full list of awardees here: https://lnkd.in/gwW2XYuF

IAPS is thrilled to support the launch of Accelerate Science Now! A bold initiative driving scientific progress through AI & innovation to tackle America’s most pressing challenges. Read more about their mission: https://lnkd.in/ecen8YGm

IAPS researchers Joe O'Brien Renan Araujo and Oliver Guest contributed to this memo in collaboration with the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative. The memo explores frameworks and criteria for determining which actors (e.g., government agencies, AI companies, third-party organizations) are best suited to develop AI model evaluations. Read more: https://bit.ly/3DYsUgL

We are excited to announce that Jennifer M. has joined the Institute for AI Policy and Strategy as our Director of Policy and Engagement. Bringing an extensive background in foreign policy, national security, and bipartisan engagement, Jenny is well-positioned to advance IAPS’ mission of bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and sound policy for AI governance. Jenny previously served at the White House National Security Council (NSC) and held several roles within the Department of State from 2010-2019. There, she led teams focused on violence mitigation, conflict stabilization, and the application of data analysis to monitor global instability. With her expertise, Jenny will play a critical role in expanding our outreach and partnerships with stakeholders. Her leadership will help foster practical insights and informed dialogue on AI safety, aiding policymakers, civil society, technology leaders, and the general public in navigating this rapidly evolving field. Please join us in welcoming Jenny to IAPS!