Tethics & Chill [online]: Inside the Guardrails: Building the Future of AI Governance

​As AI capabilities race forward, who designs the architecture of safety and governance that will shape our collective future?

​Fresh from their roles establishing the U.S. AI Safety Institute, Adam Russell and Rob Reich bring rare frontline experience in translating abstract AI safety principles into actionable governance frameworks.

​Adam's vision of "H > AI" (ensuring humans are "greater than, greater because of, and greater with AI") guided his work developing US AI Safety Institute's (AISI) Strategic Vision released in May 2024. Meanwhile, Rob's expertise in democratic theory and technology ethics helped bridge technical safety considerations with the broader societal implications of AI governance.

​Join us for this insider conversation with:

​• Adam Russell, former Chief Vision Officer of US AISI and current AI Division Director at the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute

​• Rob Reich, former Senior Advisor to US AISI and political theory professor at Stanford (with appointments in the Department of Political Science, HAI, and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies).

​Together, we'll explore:

• ​The real-world challenges of operationalizing AI safety and governance from their experience building US AISI from the ground up, plus their POV on the state of U.S. AI governance today

• ​How Adam's anthropological background and experience managing high-risk R&D portfolios at DARPA and IARPA informed US AISI's approach to safety

• ​Lessons from Rob's work at the intersection of democratic theory and technology governance, as explored in his book System Error

• ​The unique value of knowledge exchange between government and academia in AI governance

• ​How their dual perspectives from both worlds create opportunities for more effective governance frameworks that balance innovation with ethical considerations

• ​Practical strategies for founders, investors, and builders navigating emerging regulatory landscapes

​Their unique career trajectories—moving between research institutions and government service through formal exchange programs like IPAs (Intergovernmental Personnel Acts)—represent a model for how expertise can flow between sectors while maintaining institutional integrity. Adam's experience standing up ARPA-H and Rob's work on democratic institutions offer valuable lessons for how we might build governance systems that enhance human agency in an era of increasingly powerful AI.

​Come prepared with your questions for two leaders who've helped shape AI governance from both academic and governmental perspectives.

​Stay tethical and we'll see you there. — Anastasia, Zoe, Ross, and Vivian