The Next Chapter of the AI Policy Podcast

Summary

The AI Policy Podcast: "The Next Chapter of the AI Policy Podcast" (April 16, 2026)
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Host: Gregory C. Allen
Incoming Host: Alok Mehta

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Episode Overview

This episode marks a pivotal transition for the AI Policy Podcast. Gregory C. Allen, after years as host and senior adviser at the Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technologies, is stepping down from CSIS and passing the torch to Alok Mehta. The conversation covers Allen’s reflections on the journey so far, introduces Mehta’s background, and discusses the podcast’s future direction—highlighting new topics and broader perspectives in AI policy.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Gregory C. Allen’s Departure & Reflections

• Announcement: Gregory Allen opens the episode by announcing his resignation and that this will be his final time hosting the show.
  • “I have resigned from csis. So this is my last week here in the office. It will be my last time hosting the AI Policy Podcast.” (00:13)
• Next Steps: Allen teases an announcement about his future plans but assures listeners he will remain engaged in podcasting.
  • “I will remain in the podcasting game.” (00:36)
• Pride and Gratitude: Allen expresses pride in the podcast’s impact—75+ episodes, over 100 five-star reviews, and a diverse, influential audience (Senate, embassies, White House OSTP, etc.).
  • “I just want to express my extraordinary thanks to everyone out there who has supported this podcast in ways big and small.” (06:12)

2. Introduction of Alok Mehta

• Background: Mehta outlines his journey, which spans journalism, key government appointments, OpenAI, and Google.
  • “Before that I worked at Google, where I was a responsible AI Safety manager… Before that, I was the US policy lead at OpenAI... I also spent eight years in the [U.S. government].” (01:37)
• First Time Hosting a Podcast: Mehta confirms this will be his inaugural regular hosting experience.
  • “That is definitely the case, yeah.” (02:44)

3. The Future Direction of the Podcast (The ‘Alok Era’)

Mehta describes the podcast’s evolving focus and his priorities as the new host:

• Continuity: Will maintain strong research and analysis, particularly on export controls and AI regulation.
  • “We’ll be continuing to do that type of work.” (02:58)
• New Focus Areas:
  • Economic Anxiety & Labor: Address growing concerns about AI’s impact on jobs and propose actionable policy interventions for lawmakers.
    • “We’re really thinking about… what are new actionable policy interventions… for potential job impacts and labor impacts from artificial intelligence technology.” (03:17)
  • Building Public Trust: Examine the trust gap in both the US and internationally, including skepticism about AI’s benefits and how regulation can close that gap.
    • “There is this huge trust gap… about AI technology… thinking about how regulation can help address that gap.” (03:45)
  • Geopolitics of Adoption: Take a fresh look at global AI competition, emphasizing adoption strategies and the perspectives of “middle countries.”
    • “Thinking about US, China, AI competition from an adoption perspective… what this means for middle countries, like countries in Europe and in Africa and Asia Pacific.” (04:12)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Transition:

  • Gregory Allen: “I will be submitting some news about what I'm up to next here next week or so. The good news for those of you who’ve come to enjoy hearing my thoughts on all various things is that I will remain in the podcasting game.” (00:24)

• On Leadership Change:

  • Gregory Allen: “And I’m delighted to introduce all of you to Alok Mehta, who is the director of the Wadhwani AI Center… he has taken the leadership reins of the center and now will be taking, with my departure, the reins of the podcast.” (00:44)

• On Alok’s Approach:

  • Alok Mehta: “There is this huge trust gap… and the, the basically thinking about how regulation can help address that gap and sort of build up trust in that technology better.” (03:45)

• On Value of Audience:

  • Gregory Allen: “I’m really proud… that our audience members include multiple members of the U.S. senate… Folks in embassies, folks in industry, folks in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy…” (05:41)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:10 – Gregory Allen announces departure and introduces Alok Mehta
• 01:23 – Alok Mehta details his background and previous roles
• 02:46 – Alok confirms this is his first time hosting a podcast
• 02:58 – Alok lays out his vision for the podcast’s future focus
• 05:41 – Gregory shares reflections, impact statistics, and offers thanks
• 07:33-07:37 – Final sign-off

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Conclusion

This episode is both a farewell to Gregory Allen’s tenure and an introduction to Alok Mehta’s fresh direction for the AI Policy Podcast. Listeners can expect a continued focus on incisive AI policy analysis, with expanded emphasis on economic impact, public trust, and the evolving international AI landscape. The tone is optimistic and appreciative, promising both continuity and thoughtful evolution.

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Welcome back to the AI Policy Podcast. It's me, Gregory Allen, and this week we have some personal news. I have resigned from csis. So this is my last week here in the office. It will be my last time hosting the AI Policy Podcast. I will be submitting some news about what I'm up to next here next week or so. The good news for those of you who've come to enjoy hearing my thoughts on all various things is that I will remain in the podcasting game. But we're here at CSIS, and so the AI policy podcast itself will also remain on CSIS's publishing network. And I'm delighted to introduce all of you to Alok Mehta, who is the director of the Wadhwani AI Center. If you subscribe to our newsletter, you've probably seen his notes from all of those and he has taken the leadership reins of the center and now will be taking, with my departure, the reins of the podcast. So, Alok, thank you for coming on.

[A]

Thanks for having me. It's great to be here.

[B]

So for those of our listeners who also subscribe to our newsletter or who have read your publications, they might be familiar with you and who you are, but for those who are not, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?

[A]

Yeah, happy to. So I joined the Wadhwani AI center as the new director a few months ago. Before that I worked at Google, where I was a responsible AI Safety manager. So I oversaw a number of our global governance policy development initiatives as well as worked on the US state and federal files. Before that, I was the US policy lead at OpenAI, and I have also spent eight years in the so I started my career at OMB, the Office of Management and Budget. I also worked at the White House National Economic Council. I spent some time at the Federal Communications Commission and on the staff of the House Appropriations Committee as well. And before graduate school, I started my career here in Washington, D.C. actually as a journalist covering science and technology.

[B]

Oh, you know, I honestly had forgotten that you used to be a journalist, even though you've told me that before, but it just jogged my memory that that of your life. But is it fair to say that this will be your first time regularly appearing on a podcast?

[A]

That is definitely the case, yeah.

[B]

Cool. So what, you know, can you give our listeners, or now I should say your listeners, a sense of what to expect from the low meta era of the AI Policy podcast?

[A]

Yeah. So you've done a great job at your time here in the center, especially around issues like export controls. So we'll be continuing to do that type of work. We're also thinking about expanding our work in several areas. So one of those areas is thinking about how to address the building economic anxiety that a lot of Americans and a lot of other people have around the world about the impacts of AI technology. And so we're really thinking about sort of what are new actionable policy interventions that we can think about that just give policymakers and lawmakers more quivers to sort of address potential job impacts and labor impacts from artificial intelligence technology. I think another thing we really want to focus on is there is this huge trust gap that we see in the US And a lot of other countries, like countries in Europe, about AI technology, a lot of skepticism about the benefits it might bring, and the, the basically thinking about how regulation can help address that gap and sort of build up trust in that technology better so that things like national objectives for exporting AI technology around the world or thinking about driving AI adoption and bringing the benefits of AI to people actually happen. And I think a third thing we're really thinking about is sort of thinking about a new type of geopolitics frame that really looks at adoption strategies. So thinking about US, China, AI competition from an adoption perspective and thinking about how those two countries are approaching the issue of exporting their AI technology, what this means for middle countries, like countries in Europe and in Africa and Asia Pacific.

[B]

Sounds great. So for those of you out there in the audience who enjoyed our, you know, AI and labor discussion with Harry Holzer or our AI adoption and government episode with Jen Palka, that kind of thing and more as you just heard a look say so a little bit of a shift in emphasis and what we cover here on the podcast. Okay, so that was. Gosh, I guess It's. It's been four years for me now at CSIS. I just found out from my LinkedIn anniversary. So this is not the longest I've worked at anywhere since graduating from undergrad, but it's the second longest I've worked anywhere since graduating at undergrad. And the podcast has been a part of that for two years, I think. We launched this thing In January of 2024, if memory serves, and we're north of 75 episodes, I think maybe north of. I don't know if we crossed the 100 episode threshold or not. And I'm really proud of trivial things that we've done here, including the fact that we have over 100 five star reviews. So at least there's somebody out there who likes this podcast. I'm also really proud and delighted that our audience members include multiple members of the U.S. senate. As I found out when they told me when I testified before the Senate. Folks in embassies, folks in industry, folks in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and other shops over there. So I just want to express my extraordinary thanks to everyone out there who has supported this podcast in ways big and small. And as I said, I'm getting out of csis, but I'm not getting out of the podcast game. But ALOK has a wealth of experience from different parts of the AI industry and different parts of the AI ecosystem and different parts of the public policy ecosystem. And we'll come to all of this with a new and interesting lens that I hope all of you will very much enjoy. So this is me, Gregory Allen, signing off from the AI Policy Podcast. If anybody wants to reach out to me, I would love to hear from all of you. You can reach me on LinkedIn or Twitter and I'll be updating everybody about my next steps here in the not too distant future. So thanks a look and thanks everybody out there.

[A]

Thanks.

[B]

Thanks for listening to this episode of the AI Policy Podcast. If you like what you heard, there's an easy way for you to help us. Please give us a five star review on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe and tell your friends. It really helps when you spread the word. This podcast was produced by Sarah Baker, Sadie McCullough and Matt Mann. See you next.