AI Policy Leaders Programme

The rules for AI are being written right now. Will you be in the room?

The next few years are pivotal for how advanced artificial intelligence will be developed and governed – and whether Europe will be a live actor in this ecosystem or not. 

This rapidly evolving AI landscape requires a diverse and experienced pool of people to ensure Europe can build meaningful influence over AI governance to ensure advanced AI development remains safe and aligned with human values. 

This programme is built for people at an inflection point in their careers. We are looking for those who have spent a decade or more building expertise, credibility, and networks, and who are now considering how they can define the future of European AI governance.  

Your career has been building to this moment

The Talos AI Policy Leaders Programme is designed to put experienced professionals directly in the rooms where the important decisions are shaped, working with actors across EU institutions, member state governments, industry, and civil society to strengthen the governance of advanced AI .

You might be a good fit for the programme if:

  • You have over 10 years of experience in high-stakes environments (e.g. government, IOs, leadership roles in think tanks, industry or academia), and/or a strong track record of influencing/interacting with high-level decision makers. 

  • You’re an expert in a field relevant to AI governance, and are motivated to apply this expertise to solving the most important advanced AI governance and safety issues in Europe. You have the networks and decision-making access to be highly impactful, but are looking for the structured support to make the pivot effectively.

  • You’re an agentic self-starter who is excited and thrives with a high degree of autonomy. You’ve rallied high-performing teams to create tangible impact in the world, and are adaptive in the face of uncertainty.. 

  • You feel inherently optimistic and excited about the possibility of applying advanced AI to steer the world for the better – but you’re realistic about the challenges and the level of proactivity and thoughtfulness that advanced AI governance requires. 

  • You’re driven by wanting to make a change in the world and are motivated to work on hard things against all odds. You think seriously about how to prioritise the most important issues because of how decisions made today will shape trajectories over decades or longer.

Six weeks to apply over a decade of experience where it matters most

This programme is structured to help you leverage everything you’ve already built - rather than start from scratch. A central focus of the programme is helping you leverage your existing network, and strengthen your European AI policy network. Our aim is for every Policy Leader Fellow to leave with strategic clarity and a well-defined career plan with concrete and actionable next steps.

The Spring 2026 inaugural cohort will be a tailored, selective cohort of at most six fellows.

All fellows will participate in the following:

Online EU AI Policy & Careers Bootcamp

  • March - April 2026 (exact dates TBC)

  • Approximately 10 hours of time commitment per week

  • Designed to be able to completed alongside a full-time job

Brussels policymaking
summit

  • Held mid-bootcamp (21 - 27 March 2026)

  • A full-time, 7-day policymaking summit in Brussels, with prominent guest speakers, workshops, and networking events

Paid placement
(optional)

  • Secure a paid 6-12 month placement at a respected think tank

  • Placements will be tailored to match the organisation’s needs with your professional experience and skills

During the online bootcamp, we expect:

  • Part of your time to be spent setting and following your own goals, with tailored support and accountability from the Talos team.

  • Part of your time to be spent following a programme we design for you: a blend of structured teaching and Q&As with key actors in European AI governance, small-group discussions, 1:1 career coaching, and the development of at least one concrete output (such as a blog post, memo, op-ed, or policy brief).

  • Weekly topics (subject to change)

    • Week 1: Introduction to the programme and goal-setting 

    • Week 2: The problem space: risks and opportunities from AI 

    • Week 3: EU AI Governance landscape and EU institutions 

    • Week 4: In-person Talos policy summit in Brussels 

    • Week 5: Theories of change for Europe

    • Week 6: Personal strategies

    • Week 7: Publication-drafting spring

You may choose between the bootcamp-only track or the bootcamp + placement track. For those pursuing a placement, Talos facilitates a 6-12 month paid role with one of our partner organisations, tailored to both the org’s needs and your personal skillset.

  • "The Fellowship has been an amazing opportunity"

    Niklas Clement

  • "Before the Fellowship, I wasn't quite sure how I fit into the AI policy space"

    Oona Lagercrantz

  • "The program gave me the support I needed to write my first AI policy brief"

    Antoine Levie