Free policy training you can do online, at your own pace, drawn from the 134 entries the library holds. Courses first, then the tools and reading that make the training stick.
Partnership on AI's open library of guidance, frameworks, and case studies on responsible AI: synthetic media, labor and the economy, AI safety, fairness, and inclusive AI development.
Why I recommend it: When you need a credible source instead of a hot take, cite these. The labor and economy work is the most useful set for career conversations about automation.
Nonprofit publication covering the intersection of technology, platforms, and democratic institutions.
In plain terms: This nonprofit publication provides news, opinion, and analysis on how technology impacts government and democracy. You can read articles and listen to podcasts to stay informed on tech laws, platform regulations, and artificial intelligence ethics.
From the site: Tech Policy Press is a nonprofit media and community venture intended to provoke new ideas, debate and discussion at the intersection of technology and democracy. We publish opinion and analysis.
Why I recommend it: They publish outside contributors — a real place to build a byline in this field.
Sep 18, 2026CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, UC Berkeley
Application to join UC Berkeley CITRIS's Tech Policy Working Group: research lab-style weekly meetings, lightning talks, skill-building workshops, and an end-of-semester showcase for students working on a technology policy problem. Applications close 11:59 PM Friday, September 18, 2026.
Why I recommend it: No policy coursework required, and the deadline is September 18. Built for Berkeley students, but they invite others to email — worth one message if you want real policy research on your resume.
Plain-language rundown of which insurance types a small business actually needs — general liability, workers' comp, property, and more.
In plain terms: This government guide explains the different types of insurance coverage small businesses need to protect their assets. Use it to learn how policies like general liability and workers' compensation work so you can choose the right coverage for your startup.
Why I recommend it: Start here before you buy anything from a broker. Knowing the four basic policy types keeps you from being upsold.
An OpenAI-compatible API for unrestricted language models aimed at red teaming, security research, evaluations, and synthetic data, paired with a policy gateway for per-project keys, audit logs, and no data retention.
Why I recommend it: I keep this in the ethics shelf on purpose. Seeing how guardrails get removed for testing is the clearest way to understand why they matter in the tools you actually use at work.
Tracks AI laws, bills and policies across 110+ countries, with links to official sources for each entry.
Why I recommend it: Free to use. Counts (1,142 laws as of September 2026) are the site's own; check the linked official source before relying on any single entry.
Upcoming cybersecurity conference calendar with virtual and in-person events, dates, locations, and registration links.
From the site: Find cybersecurity conferences happening this week. Virtual & in‑person events. Get dates, locations, and last‑minute registration links now.
Why I recommend it: Useful for staying current on security trends and finding networking events if you are pivoting into cybersecurity, tech policy, or IT operations.
Free open-access working-paper series from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University with Stanford's SCALE Initiative — early education research with strong policy implications, downloadable before journal publication.
Why I recommend it: If you work in education or workforce programs, citing a current working paper makes a proposal much harder to dismiss.
Free, authoritative consensus reports and workshop proceedings on science, technology, health, education and the workforce — most titles readable online at no cost.
Why I recommend it: When you need a source no one can argue with, start here instead of a news summary.
Organization working on people's control over their data and digital lives, with research, newsletters and the Frequency protocol for a more open internet.
Coverage of law firm founder John Morgan boasting on a podcast about camera-based monitoring of remote staff, after which 23 employees quit within the first week.
Why I recommend it: Monitoring policy is culture policy. Ask in interviews how remote work is measured - output or surveillance - and treat the answer as data about how you would be managed.
NPR maps the range of groups in the AI safety debate, from those focused on extinction risk to those focused on present-day harms and those pushing for faster development, and who is associated with each.
Introduction by Kelly Joyce and Taylor M. Cruz to a Socius special collection framing AI as a sociotechnical system, with research on AI in health, work and labor, methods, and policy.
Why I recommend it: A clear entry point if you want the research vocabulary for what you already sense about AI at work.
A September 2024 article by Kevin Klyman and Raphael Piliero in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists examining the comparison between artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons. The authors argue the analogy offers some lessons for risk mitigation but that the differences are more significant: AI development is diffuse across tens of firms and countries, making it far harder to contain than nuclear technology. Free to read.
Why I recommend it: The nuclear analogy drives a lot of AI policy proposals, from IAEA-style agencies to licensing regimes. This piece is the clearest short explanation of where that analogy helps and where it breaks.
Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor's influential essay arguing AI is best understood as a normal technology — adopted slowly, shaped by institutions — rather than an unstoppable superintelligence.
Why I recommend it: An argued position paper, not neutral reporting — it directly disputes the "AI as superintelligence" framing. One of the most-cited counterpoints in the AI-risk debate.
Plain-language overview of how AI screening tools evaluate applicants, their common failure modes, and the legal requirements now in force.
Why I recommend it: Read this before your next application. Understanding what the software looks for is not gaming the system, it is fair preparation.
Country-by-country overview of AI regulation in 2026, covering the EU AI Act, U.S. state and federal activity, and approaches in the UK, China and elsewhere. Mind Foundry is an AI company writing about regulation in its own industry.
Jake Taylor argues that public, standardized AI testing with formal reasoning checks is needed to close the widening "verification asymmetry" between AI capability and oversight.
Why I recommend it: If you want to work in AI governance or assurance, this is the vocabulary hiring managers use — verification, benchmarks, interpretability.
A July 2026 research report from risk intelligence firm Alethea documenting how Russian, Chinese, and Iranian state media, covert influence operations, and AI-generated content farms amplified genuine local opposition to U.S. data center construction between January and June 2026. The findings were featured in The New York Times. Alethea is a commercial firm publishing its own research; the report is free to read.
Why I recommend it: Two things are true at once here: local opposition to data centers is real, and foreign actors are amplifying it. Useful reading for anyone working in policy, infrastructure, or community advocacy — and a case study in how AI-generated content scales a narrative.
New York City Employment and Training Coalition open letter urging the Economic Development Corporation to invest in workforce development alongside job creation.
Why I recommend it: Read this if you want to understand how workforce funding decisions actually get made — and who is arguing for job seekers at the table.
A July 2026 open-access article in the Cambridge Forum on Technology and Global Affairs by Elisabeth Siegel (University of Oxford) examining how "hybrid epistemic experts" — figures straddling technical expertise, corporate leadership, and policy influence, with Eric Schmidt as the central case — constructed and amplified the "U.S.–China AI Race" narrative between 2015 and 2023. The article raises concerns about democratic governance and the concentration of AI knowledge production in private hands. Free to read (open access).
Why I recommend it: Explains how the AI race narrative was built by people who sit in boardrooms and policy rooms at the same time. Read it alongside the Yellow Techno-Peril paper for two complementary critiques of the same framing.
A long-running technology news publication with careful, technical reporting on computing, science, policy and security — deeper than most tech headlines and clear about what is known versus claimed.
From the site: News and reviews, covering IT, AI, science, space, health, gaming, cybersecurity, tech policy, computers, mobile devices, and operating systems.
Why I recommend it: One of the few tech outlets that reads a filing or a paper before writing about it. Free to read, with an optional paid subscription that removes ads.
Free journalism and analysis on nuclear risk, climate change and disruptive technologies including artificial intelligence, from the group behind the Doomsday Clock.
Why I recommend it: Good grounding if you want to argue about AI risk with facts rather than vibes.
Paralympic champion and member of the House of Lords working on AI and technology legislation and accessible design in the UK Parliament.
Why I recommend it: A unusual combination — elite disabled athlete turned actual AI policymaker, worth following for where accessibility and tech regulation intersect.
Small-business columnist and owner writing on taxes, hiring, and regulations for Main Street businesses.
In plain terms: This site features columns and presentations from small-business adviser and accountant Gene Marks. You can explore practical insights on economic trends, workplace rules, and technology to help run or grow your business.
Why I recommend it: One of the few voices writing for a ten-person business rather than a venture-backed one.
Newsletter reporting on the fight to reshape technology in the public interest.
In plain terms: This newsletter reports on efforts to reshape technology in the public interest. You can read regular articles to stay informed about technology ethics and industry reform.
From the site: Idea Trafficking. Click to read Hard Reset, by Trafficker 01, a Substack publication. Launched 5 years ago.
Why I recommend it: Skimmable and current — good for staying briefed in ten minutes a week.
Weekly synthesis of AI research and policy by Jack Clark, Anthropic co-founder. 130K+ subscribers.
In plain terms: This weekly newsletter summarizes the latest artificial intelligence research and policy. You can read it to keep up with developments in AI technology.
Why I recommend it: Best place to understand the policy fights that will shape AI jobs.
Founder and Executive Director of Latinas in Tech, the global nonprofit connecting Latina technologists, who also engages directly with lawmakers on tech-sector policy.
The Verge's technology section: daily reporting on the companies, products and policies shaping the industry.
From the site: The latest tech news about the world’s best (and sometimes worst) hardware, apps, and much more. From top companies like Google and Apple to tiny startups vying for your attention, Verge Tech has the latest in what matters in technology daily.
Why I recommend it: Free to read and readable. Good for keeping current on the companies you might interview with.
Listing of remote roles and internships at the Family Online Safety Institute, a nonprofit working on digital safety, online wellbeing, and technology policy.
Why I recommend it: Nonprofit policy internships are an underused entry point into tech policy careers. Apply even if your background is not technical.
UK-based independent research institute (established by the Nuffield Foundation) ensuring data and AI work for people and society.
In plain terms: This independent research website examines the ethical and legal impacts of artificial intelligence and data. You can read policy reports, explore industry analysis, and attend events to understand how emerging technology affects society.
Why I recommend it: Clear, public-interest research with plain-language summaries.
NYU-based research institute examining the social and political implications of AI, publishing influential annual reports on AI's societal effects.
In plain terms: This research institute analyzes the social, economic, and workplace impacts of artificial intelligence. You can read free reports, policy toolkits, and expert analyses to better understand how AI affects society and the economy.
Why I recommend it: Their reports connect AI directly to jobs and worker power.
Ongoing research archive on how AI and automation affect wages, workers, and economic power in the U.S.
In plain terms: This research archive provides articles and reports on how artificial intelligence affects the workforce. You can explore these studies to learn how new technologies and automation impact jobs, wages, and worker protections.
From the site: Content archives for the Washington Center for Equitable Growth’s work on AI, tech, & the economy.
Why I recommend it: Use this when you need real numbers on AI and jobs for a proposal or interview.
The philanthropy's list of grantees and its approach to funding evidence-based work in areas such as criminal justice, health, education and public finance.
Cambridge research centre studying risks that could threaten humanity's long-term future, with open papers, seminars and policy submissions.
From the site: We study existential and global catastrophic risks & foster a worldwide community of academics, technologists and policy-makers working to mitigate these risks.
Why I recommend it: Academic and careful. Their reading lists and seminar recordings are the fastest way into the field's actual literature.
The Royal Institute of International Affairs, an independent policy institute based in London, publishing research on international affairs, governance and technology.
From the site: Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is an independent policy institute based in London. Discover what we do, visit our website today.
#governance#international affairs#policy#regulation#research#think tank
Chatham House – International Affairs Think TankAdded Sep 18, 20260 opens
Independent nonprofit researching the social implications of data-centric and automated technologies, informing policy and public understanding.
In plain terms: This nonprofit research institute studies how artificial intelligence, automation, and data technologies affect work and society. You can read free reports, guides, and articles or attend public events to understand how emerging technology impacts labor and the economy.
Why I recommend it: Excellent on automated management and surveillance at work.
Non-profit working on risks from advanced technology, publishing policy work, the AI Safety Index, open letters and a large free podcast and newsletter archive.
From the site: FLI works on reducing extreme risks from transformative technologies. We are best known for developing the Asilomar AI governance principles.
Why I recommend it: Their AI Safety Index is the most readable scorecard of what the big labs actually do about safety. They campaign, so read the policy pages as arguments.
Worldwide network of entrepreneurship programs, research, and policy work, best known for organizing Global Entrepreneurship Week across more than 180 countries.
Why I recommend it: Use their country pages to find the local ecosystem group nearest you. Entrepreneurship is a local sport played on a global field.
Free two-day virtual professional development summit on AI in education, co-hosted by the AI Pedagogy Project and the Data Nutrition Project: keynotes, hands-on workshops, course policy, assessment, and career readiness. Sept 16 12:00-3:30pm ET and Sept 17 1:00-3:30pm ET.
Details: If you teach, train, or support educators, this is a good place to see how AI policy is being translated into practice.
Free online workshop from Nervous System Mastery on working with AI without burning out: the four ways of relating to AI, spotting AI-driven dysregulation, and body-first practices between work sprints.
Details: Burnout is a career problem, not just a wellness one. If AI work leaves you wired and drained, this is a practical place to start.
Do these free policy courses come with a certificate?
Some do and some don't, and the entry says so where I know. A finished project you can show is usually worth more in a conversation than the certificate is.
Can I do this alongside a full-time job?
Yes. Everything listed is self-paced, so you can work in short sessions rather than blocking out whole days.
