Call for Experts: Seeking Speakers for CCST Legislative Staff Academy on AI

Overview

The CCST Legislative Staff Academy on AI is an educational initiative created to strengthen AI literacy and policy fluency among California legislative staff. The initial programming introduced policymakers to a broad spectrum of AI-related issues. Through a variety of educational and experiential formats, participants developed a practical understanding of California’s rapidly evolving AI ecosystem. In addition to building foundational knowledge, the program offered policymakers the chance to engage directly with researchers, industry leaders, and subject-matter experts to better understand both the opportunities and policy challenges associated with emerging AI technologies.

Seeking Nominations

CCST is seeking nominations for experts, roundtable panelists, and institutional representatives to participate in the Legislative Staff Academy on AI programming later this year. Nominations from nonprofit institutions, as well as researchers from non-academic and non-industrial organizations, are especially encouraged.

The programming will focus on the following key topic areas:

• Fundamentals of AI
• Physical AI and Robotics
• Algorithmic Decision-Making
• AI Policy and Governance Needs
• AI Safety and Risk Mitigation
• AI and Education
• AI and Healthcare
• AI and Energy
• AI and Labor
• AI and Agriculture and Food Production
• AI and child safety
• AI and criminal justice

Details

• Format: Nonpartisan, neutral, and advocacy-free sessions held in Sacramento. Selected experts will engage with legislative staff by presenting on their areas of expertise or a selected topic, followed by participation in discussions designed for a non-technical audience. 
• Criteria: We are particularly interested in dynamic, engaging speakers who can deliver educational content – including lectures, presentations or interactive activities – on AI-related topics tailored to non-experts.
• Content: Sessions should introduce core AI concepts, emerging developments, and key considerations within each topic area, while fostering thoughtful dialogue on the implications of these technologies for California

In addition to the topics listed above, we welcome nominations with recommendations for other emerging or high-priority AI issue areas to strengthen the AI Academy’s curriculum.

Through this program, the AI Academy aims to help policymakers better understand the technical dimensions of AI and align their understanding with expert insights and emerging best practices in the field.

Additional Details

Building on strong participation and engagement, the AI Academy will offer a more advanced and policy-oriented educational experience for a select cohort of legislative staff. Through a 12-week program, participants will examine critical AI topics, technical frameworks, and governance considerations in greater depth, with an emphasis on translating technical understanding into informed, effective, and forward-looking policy.

Each weekly session is expected to be two hours and structured in two parts:

• Foundational Briefing (First Hour):
  Each session will begin with an accessible, non-technical presentation introducing the core concepts, terminology, and technological context related to the topic of the week. The goal is to establish shared understanding among participants and create greater consistency in how AI concepts and vocabulary are understood and discussed.
• Interactive Policy Discussion (Second Hour):
  The second half of each session will be reserved for discussion and participant engagement. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, examine policy implications, and explore how technical considerations may shape effective governance and legislative decision-making.

AI Academy Questions

Contact [email protected].

Submit a Nomination

Please use the form below to submit names, affiliations, relevant areas of expertise and contact information for individuals who are qualified to serve in support of this study. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Submit a Nomination

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About CCST

The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that engages leading experts in science and technology to advise state policymakers — ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation. Established via a unanimous vote of the Legislature in 1988, CCST has been making California’s policies stronger with science and technology for nearly 40 years.