BASE FellowsHiP FALL 2026

The Black in AI Safety & Ethics (BASE) Fellowship is a 13-week, part-time remote program beginning in September 8th and going through December 18th, designed to develop Black researchers, practitioners, and leaders in AI Safety, AI Security, AI Governance. Fellows gain structured expert mentorship, foundational training, and hands-on research experience to prepare them for impactful research in the rapidly evolving AI safety ecosystem.

Applications for the Fall 2026 cohort open May 22nd

Program Structure

The program conducts three specialized research track:

  • AI Alignment (technical ML safety research: Interpretability, Oversight & Control, Agency)

  • AI Security (Cyber/infosec, Risk Management, Adversarial robustness, Threat detection)

  • AI Governance (Policy and Frameworks, Evaluations, Standards, Systemic Risk Analysis)

Fellows will undergo two phases of the program to build strong foundations and support meaningful research outcomes:

Weeks 1–5: Foundations & Training Curriculum

  • Informed training based on selected stream (Technical AI Safety, AI Governance, and InfoSec/AI Security)

  • AI Safety seminars and events led by practitioners and researchers.

  • Milestone-based assignments to build technical and analytical fundamentals

Weeks 6–13: Research & Project Development

  • Fellows work on a focused AI safety project with a mentor aligned with one of the program tracks.

  • Hands-on mentorship with weekly check-ins, feedback sessions, and structured research support.

    • Required: Weekly meeting with your mentor to discuss project progress totaling to at least 1hr

  • Development of a meaningful capstone outcome, such as:

    • A research preprint

    • A technical blog post

    • A fellowship or grant application to further research goals

Minimum Requirements

  •  Must be currently enrolled in or have completed a BA/BS degree 

  • We prioritize applicants whose lived experiences align with BASE’s mission to empower the global Black diaspora in AI safety

  • For technical tracks, strong coding and ML skills are required

  • Demonstrate relevant academic or professional experience in public policy, government, compliance, trust and safety

  • Commit at least 10-15 hours a week to research and learning, curriculum completion, participate in weekly seminars, and work closely with a mentor who provides guidance, feedback, and professional support

  • Must submit a capstone project, such as a research preprint, blog post, or fellowship/grant application

Preferred Qualifications & Fit

  • Prior research experience or work in fast paced collaborative environments

  • Intention to continue pursuing work in AI Safety, Security, or Governance after completing the fellowship

  • This may include graduate study, research positions, technical roles, policy internships, or continued independent work

  • Commitment to BASE's values

  • Skills By Track:

    • AI Safety:

      • Background in computer science, machine learning, mathematics, or a related technical discipline. Familiarity with Python, ML models, or research workflows

    • AI Security:

      • Background in cybersecurity, information security, threat detection, adversarial ML, or related areas.

    • AI Governance:

      • Background or demonstrated interest in policy, law, political science, economics, sociology, or technology governance

WHY JOIN US?

BASE is building a connected and informed Black community in AI Safety, Governance, and Security. Our goal is to ensure that the Black diaspora has a lasting voice and influence in the technologies shaping the future. We aim to ensure that future AI systems reflect fairness, accountability, and collective well-being for all people.