Longitude Policy

Bringing technical expertise into AI Policy

Flagship program · September 2026

The DC Intensive

Two fully funded weeks in Washington, DC for technical AI safety talent exploring policy. Applications for the September cohort open soon.

Flagship program

The DC Intensive

DC is short on people who can explain frontier AI to the people writing the rules — and from the outside, it can seem opaque and overwhelming. The DC Intensive is two weeks in Washington with a cohort of 15, run with DC-based AI policy orgs, built to close that gap.

2 weeks in Washington, DC
15 participants per cohort
Sept 2026 next cohort
Fully funded travel, housing & program covered
01

Upskilling

  • US Government 101
  • How policy gets made
  • Communicating AI safety in DC
02

Immersion

  • Office visits with AI policy orgs
  • Socials with the DC AI safety scene
  • Tabletop policy exercises
03

Career

  • Career paths for technical talent
  • 1:1 planning sessions
  • Intros to hiring orgs & fellowships

Who it's for

Strong technical skills, solid AI safety context, and openness to policy work. No governance background needed — we'll teach you the rest.

How it works

  1. ApplyA short written application.
  2. InterviewOne conversation.
  3. Two weeks in DCUpskilling, immersion, career.
  4. TransitionWe help you land the role.
In collaboration with
Institute for AI Policy & Strategy Americans for Responsible Innovation Alliance for Secure AI AI Policy Network
Apply to the DC Intensive

Applications for the September 2026 cohort open soon. Express interest and we'll let you know.

On the way to the intensive

Online seminars

A series of free online sessions in the run-up to the DC Intensive — hear what policy work looks like for technical people, and whether the program is for you.

Date TBA · Online

From technical AI safety to policy

People who made the jump talk about what they actually do in DC — and what they wish they'd known earlier.

Free · Registration opens soon
Date TBA · Online

The DC Intensive — Info session

What the two weeks look like, who should apply, and time for your questions.

Free · Registration opens soon
About

Who we are

We're practitioners from the AI safety community. Longitude Policy exists to reduce catastrophic risk from AI by putting technical expertise in the room where policy gets made.

Manon Kempermann

Co-founder

Damin Curtis

Co-founder

Questions

FAQ

Do I need a policy background?

No. We're looking for technical depth and openness to policy — we'll teach you the rest.

What does it cost?

Nothing. Travel, housing, and programming are covered.

Do I have to commit to moving to DC?

No — the intensive is for people seriously exploring the option, not people who've already decided.

Am I eligible if I'm not a US citizen?

Many DC policy roles at think tanks and nonprofits don't require citizenship. We'll map what's open to you during the program.

Why is this called "Longitude Policy"?

In 1714, Britain's Parliament passed the Longitude Act. Ships and crews were being lost because nobody could measure longitude at sea — a problem governments knew mattered, but couldn't solve from within. The answer came from technical talent: John Harrison, a self-taught clockmaker, built a clock precise enough to keep London time on a rolling ship. AI policy is at a similar moment — the hardest problems won't be solved without the people who understand the technology in the room. The fine vertical lines across this site are lines of longitude.