MAIA AI Safety Fundamentals (AISF) Fellowship – Fall 2026

Deadline: September 23, 2026

Applications are open for the MAIA AI Safety Fundamentals (AISF) Fellowship – Fall 2026. The AI Safety Fundamentals Fellowship (AISF) is MAIA’s flagship introduction to AI safety and the main way people get involved with MIT AI Alignment. It’s an 8-week reading group designed to help you understand why the field matters and what researchers and policymakers are doing about it.

Over the course of the fellowship, you’ll explore

The current trajectory of AI development

Empirical evidence for misalignment

Threat models for how misalignment could cause harm

Technical approaches to AI safety

The AI policy landscape

Opportunities and careers in AI safety

The fellowship is facilitated by top MAIA members with experience in AI safety research. During the fall and spring, sections of about 10 fellows meet weekly in the office with two facilitators, and dinner is provided. The summer program runs virtually with one facilitator and around 6 fellows per section. No work is assigned outside of weekly meetings, making the fellowship easy to fit alongside a full course load.

Eligibility

Open to anyone, with preference given to MIT undergraduate and graduate students.

Applicants with machine learning experience are especially encouraged to apply, but no prior background is required—just curiosity and a willingness to engage with hard, open questions.

Application

Apply by Wednesday, September 23 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The eight-week fellowship begins the week of September 28.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit AISF Fellowship.