The AI Policy Podcast

In this special episode recorded at Fathom’s 2026 Ashby Workshops, Greg sits down with Jennifer Pahlka, founder of Code for America and author of Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better. Jennifer walks us through her career journey, from filing paperwork at a child welfare agency to helping pioneer the U.S. Digital Services in the Obama administration (3:45). She describes the need for upstream policy reform (11:29), and discusses AI’s potential to both empower public servants to challenge antiquated practices and help policymakers simplify complex regulations (28:03). Finally, Jennifer shares some AI use cases she’s particularly excited about in government (59:34).

 

Jennifer Pahlka is a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center and the Federation of American Scientists and a senior advisor at the Abundance Network. She previously served as U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer, helping start the U.S. Digital Services under the second Obama administration, and as a member of the Defense Innovation Network.

 

Read Jennifer’s book Recoding America and check out her Substack Eating Policy.

 

Jennifer’s recommended reading:


Hack Your Bureaucracy by Marina Nitze & Nick Sinai


Crisis Engineering by Marina Nitze, Matthew Weaver, & Mikey Dickerson


The Procedure Fetish by Nicholas Bagley


Why Nothing Works by Marc J. Dunkelman


Kill It with Fire by Marianne Bellotti

This episode cross-posts a fireside chat with the Ambassadors of India and France to the United States, Amb. Vinay Kwatra and Amb. Laurent Bili. The discussion was recorded at the Wadhwani AI Center’s January 30 conference, “Exploring Global AI Policy Priorities Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit.” A full recording of the conference, including additional panels and speakers, can be found here.

In this episode, we discuss and evaluate the BIS' new export policy for Nvidia's H200 chips (00:31) before turning to Beijing's decision to block H200 imports (20:18). We then unpack the Pentagon's recently published AI Strategy, including the shift it represents in DOW's approach to AI integration (29:17).

 

Read the CNAS commentary "Unpacking the H200 Export Policy" here.

In this episode, we examine Grok’s public posting of child sexual abuse material and non-consensual intimate imagery (00:27), the legal consequences xAI may face (12:41), and the international policy community's response (19:05). We then unpack New York’s RAISE Act, including the politics leading up to Gov. Hochul’s signature (22:51) and the final outcome of negotiations (28:16).

Since 2023, a series of global AI summits has brought together world leaders to advance international dialogue and cooperation on artificial intelligence. Building on this momentum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the India AI Impact Summit, which will take place in New Delhi in February 2026. As the first summit in the series to be hosted in a Global South country, the AI Impact Summit aims to amplify Global South perspectives and advance concrete action to address both the opportunities and risks of AI.

On December 8, 2025, the CSIS Wadhwani AI Center hosted S. Krishnan, Secretary of India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), for a livestreamed fireside chat with Wadhwani AI Center Senior Adviser Gregory C. Allen. Secretary Krishnan, who leads India’s national AI strategy, will outline India’s policy priorities and share insights into the goals and global aspirations shaping the upcoming AI Impact Summit. He will also offer a comprehensive look at the central role MeitY plays in driving innovation across India’s AI ecosystem.

Secretary Krishnan brings more than 35 years of experience in public service, having joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1989. Prior to his current role, he served as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce Department in the Government of Tamil Nadu. He has also served as Senior Advisor in the Office of the Executive Director for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Bhutan at the International Monetary Fund, and has represented India in the G20 Expert Groups on International Financial Architecture and Global Financial Safety Nets. Secretary Krishnan holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi.