Aneesh Raman

Nonpartisan institutions that rely on facts and research to shape public understanding are being left behind — not because they lack insight, but because they lack presence where it matters most. Today’s media ecosystem rewards authenticity, resonance, and networked participation — not credentials, citations, or carefully crafted op-eds. Institutions can’t afford to treat audience engagement as an afterthought. Renee DiResta and I just published a new paper with the Carnegie Endowment: "For Expertise to Matter, Nonpartisan Institutions Need New Communications Strategies." We argue that the old top-down comms playbook — press releases, Sunday shows, reports behind paywalls — isn’t just outdated, it’s increasingly speaking only to a niche audience. So we offer alternatives strategies for building trust, networks, and long-term partnerships, in a call-to-action for funders, think tanks, and public interest institutions: Read the whitepaper here. And if you're experimenting with new ways of connecting with audiences, we'd love to hear about them: https://lnkd.in/eHvKNaBN

178

16 Comments

🌐 #TrustTuesday On September 29, 2025, California took a historic step by enacting the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act (TFAIA)—the first state-level legislation holding frontier AI models to rigorous safety and transparency standards. Hats off to my home state for recognizing that responsible tech is public safety. While this law focuses on safety disclosures, incident reporting, whistleblower protections, and penalties for noncompliance, the real question is: how will companies keep pace as bad actors evolve faster than regulations? We’re already seeing misuse scale through: ⚠️ Prompt injections that manipulate models ⚠️ Recontextualizing attacks to bypass safeguards ⚠️ Deepfake and nudification apps that spread harmful content ⚠️ Age verification loopholes exposing youth to unsafe spaces This is where third-party expertise becomes critical. At Highspring, we help organizations stay ahead by: 🔹 Running Adversarial Red-teaming to anticipate misuse before it happens 🔹 Automating regression testing to ensure AI systems meet evolving safety-by-design requirements 🔹 Delivering AI training in 100+ languages to surface global risks and edge cases 🔹 A/B testing policies and safeguards to ensure explainability, compliance, and resilience under stress TFAIA signals a new era: regulators are demanding accountability, and the public expects safety. The organizations that thrive will be those who invest in proactive risk assessments and adaptive Trust & Safety strategies—not just compliance checkboxes. California just raised the bar. The challenge now is to make sure our safeguards evolve at the speed of misuse. #ResponsibleAI #TrustandSafety #AIRegulation #AdversarialRedTeaming #AICompliance #SafetybyDesign #AIPolicy #VendorOperations #TFAIA #TransparencyReporting #ModelEvals #RiskAssessments #PrecisionRecall https://lnkd.in/g3aK-fSf

6

Christy Romer: Lessons on fiscal & monetary policy coordination from American history/ When does rowing together work out well and when doesn't it. From her survey of the history, she draws four lessons: Lesson 1: Policy coordination is not sufficient to ensure good economic outcomes. Lesson 2: Economic ideas matter. Lesson 3: Because policy mistakes occur, the independence of central banks is vital. Lesson 4: Successful policy coordination demands accurate data and honest information on the federal budget.https://https://lnkd.in/epTiUntV. via The Brookings Institution

16

The Washington State Department of Commerce "is an incubator,” Joseph Nguyen explained when I sat down with him in his Seattle office this week. His measure of success: “When other people start copying us.” The former Microsoft program manager and state senator is now leading one of Washington state’s most critical agencies through a period of deep budget cuts, rising skepticism from the tech sector, and pressure to deliver real results. Nguyen says that’s what he is determined to do. Here's the story: https://lnkd.in/gbF2cdCB

120

4 Comments

Want to know more about how the Bureau of Labor Statistics does its job? Curious why (and how) job numbers get revised every few months and year-over-year? Want to know what the BLS Commissioner actually does? Check out the latest episode of the PolicyViz Podcast with former BLS Commissioner Erica Groshen to learn more about how this important agency works and how to keep it healthy, objective, and independent. https://lnkd.in/egP_AZQS

11

1 Comment

Yesterday marked the official grand opening of the "AI House" at Pier 70 in Seattle, a collaborative initiative spearheaded by the Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED), AI2 Incubator, Washington State Department of Commerce, and Ada Developers Academy. The event drew key figures, including Mayor Bruce Harrell, OED Director Markham McIntyre, Yifan Zhang, and Tina-Marie Gulley, all of whom emphasized the AI House's critical role in positioning Seattle as a leading hub for AI innovation and economic development. The initiative aims to foster collaboration among various stakeholders, including community leaders, founders, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and AI talent, to drive the future of AI technology in the region. A cornerstone of the AI House's mission is to ensure diversity and equity in the AI sector, a focus prominently highlighted by the involvement of ADA Developers Academy. Tina-Marie Gulley, CEO of ADA Developers Academy, spoke to the importance of including underrepresented communities in the AI field, stating, "AI, when shaped by diverse voices, can transform the world for the better." Gulley also emphasized that "AI is not a neutral force" and its impact will disproportionately affect marginalized communities, stressing the necessity of inclusivity in its development. ADA Developers Academy, which has trained over 1,300 software developers, primarily women and gender-expansive adults, aims to dismantle barriers to opportunity through workforce development programs and embed AI literacy into its curriculum. The AI House also serves as a launchpad for innovative AI startups like Yoodli, an AI-powered role-play tool and speech coach. Derek Sessions, CTO of Yoodli AI Roleplays, described the AI House as an ideal environment for emerging companies, offering "a great place for a company like us getting our start, to be surrounded by interesting collaborators, all thinking about AI." Sessions highlighted Yoodli's goal to be a "Grammarly for speech," illustrating the practical applications and potential impact of the AI technologies being developed within the AI House. Yoodli's presence underscores the AI House's role in supporting and nurturing early-stage AI ventures, providing a collaborative space for growth and innovation. Overall, the opening of the AI House signifies a substantial step towards establishing Seattle as a global leader in AI technology, with a strong emphasis on ethical development, diversity, and economic growth. The collaborative efforts between public and private sectors, coupled with the involvement of organizations like ADA Developers Academy and innovative startups like Yoodli, reflect a multifaceted approach to fostering AI innovation in the region. The event highlighted the potential of AI to solve real-world problems and benefit society while also addressing the critical need for responsible AI development and policy.

68

3 Comments

Check out this interview with Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) founding co-director Fei-Fei Li and Margaret Hoover for PBS' Firing Line, where Li emphasized responsible AI development is not enough and we need a human-centered approach to creating AI. https://lnkd.in/gv-8tKMH

61

6 Comments