[Career review] “AI policy in the US government” by Avital Morris

The US federal government has jurisdiction over the most prominent AI companies in the world — and the people working inside it may have more influence over AI's future than almost anyone else. But government AI policy work is hard to break into, politically constrained, and carries a real risk of doing harm. Learn what it actually takes to build a career in US government AI policy: which roles and agencies matter most, what skills you'll need beyond technical expertise, and how to think honestly about whether Washington's political culture is a place where you'll thrive. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:10) Summary(01:50) Recommended(02:00) Review status(02:05) Why work in AI policy within the US government?(04:04) Would you be a good fit?(04:08) What skills are needed to succeed?(06:02) What experience is useful(07:02) What else do you need?(08:12) Downsides to working in US government AI policy roles(08:18) Risk of doing harm(09:50) Risk of burnout(10:07) Top organisations(10:54) Executive branch(10:59) Executive Office of the President(12:04) Departments and agencies(13:44) Congress(16:38) State governments(17:37) Government contractors(18:42) Next steps(18:46) If you're ready to apply for jobs(18:55) If you need to build career capital(21:04) Speak with us(21:25) Learn more(21:28) Top recommendations(22:36) Further recommendations(23:44) Acknowledgements --- First published: June 11th, 2026 Source: https://80000hours.org/career-reviews/ai-policy-us-government --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.