Jaffer appointed to new Virginia Artificial Intelligence Task Force

Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin has appointed Jamil N. Jaffer, the founder and executive director of the National Security Institute (NSI) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, to his new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force, which will work with legislators to regulate rapidly advancing AI technology. Jaffer is one of 10 appointees to the task force, alongside NSI Fellow Zach Graves.

The AI Task Force brings together a group of the most prominent AI experts in the commonwealth to provide advice to policy makers as they work to establish Virginia as a leader in the AI field, while balancing the need to create safeguards that promote responsible technology use. These experts will also provide guidance to state agencies on integrating AI, ensuring that any AI solutions implemented are both efficient and cost effective

“The AI Task Force is a vital component of Virginia’s efforts to lead in the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence, providing crucial guidance to policymakers as they balance innovation with responsible technology use,” said Ken Randall, Allison and Dorothy Rouse Dean and George Mason University Foundation professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School. “We are confident that his expertise, alongside NSI Fellow Zach Graves and other distinguished members, will significantly contribute to shaping Virginia’s AI future.”

“I look forward to collaborating with the distinguished members of the Task Force to provide actionable insights that promote responsible AI use and drive meaningful advancements in both the public and private sectors,” said Jaffer.

Jaffer is also director of the National Security Law and Policy Program and director of the Cyber, Intelligence, and National Security LLM Program at Scalia Law. He teaches classes on counterterrorism, intelligence, surveillance, cybersecurity, and other national security matters.

He has served as an outside advisor to the Cyberspace Solarium Commission and has testified before committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on China, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and other national security matters. 

Jaffer has also appeared as a subject matter expert on a range of national television and radio outlets and various print and online publications.

Also on the task force are John Bailey, founder of Vestigo Partners; Bill Cleveland, former vice mayor, Alexandria; Richard Cullatta, CEO, International Society for Technology in Education; Sam Hammond, senior economist, Foundation for American Innovation; Tim Hwang, Senior Technology Fellow, Institute for Progress; Lori Jennings, founder, Jennings ProSearch; Paige Kowalski, executive vice president, Data Quality Campaign; and Naren Ramakrishnan, professor of engineering, Virginia Tech.