On Feb. 3, the CITRIS Tech Policy research initiative hosted a day of conversations in Sacramento with students, policymakers and civic leaders to conclude its inaugural graduate student short course, Tech Policy Design: Platform Governance for an AI-Driven World. As California continues to lead the nation in shaping responsible technology governance, the event offered legislators and their staff a direct window into the next generation of policy thinkers.
The day began with a panel featuring Assembly members Josh Lowenthal and Chris Ward, moderated by John Bennett, director of the California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED). The Assembly members spoke about how their time in the legislature and backgrounds have shaped their views on regulating technology, then discussed the importance of building coalitions, studying developments in other states and countries, and understanding the fundamental technical developments and how they affect future regulation. The panelists also emphasized the importance of student participation in the democratic process and encouraged students in the audience to continue their research and involvement in public service.
The short course cohort then presented their capstone projects to an expert panel composed of Christian Kurpiewski from the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee; Julie Salley from the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee; and Shiran Zohar from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The staff members discussed the relevance and feasibility of the students’ proposals while offering feedback and recommendations grounded in legislative realities.
The proposals by the Tech Policy Design students addressed some of the most urgent challenges emerging from rapid advances in artificial intelligence, including online safety and platform accountability, workplace monitoring and algorithmic management, and algorithmic pricing, fairness, and consumer protection. These projects draw on a months-long collaboration with partners from CITED, Omidyar Network and TechEquity, who provided hands-on coaching and guidance.
The CITRIS group then attended a lunch reception hosted by the UC Student and Policy Center, featuring remarks from its director, Catharine Baker, as well as Julianne McCall, CEO of the California Council on Science and Technology, and Daniel Harris-McCoy, project manager at the Little Hoover Commission.
The power of practical projects
After the Sacramento visit, students in the cohort spoke about the value of the Tech Policy Design course.
Matheus Dias, a Master of Public Policy student at the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy, said, “It is a highly worthwhile experience, especially if you are interested in the intersection of policy, technology and real-world problem solving.
“The partner project makes the course feel practical and applied, rather than purely theoretical.”
Sean Richardson, a doctoral candidate in statistics in the UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science and Society, noted, “The course is a great way to connect with bright and motivated graduate students while learning about the many sides of technology policy. The speakers have really impressive backgrounds and do fascinating and important work.”
Several of the students further reported that the CITRIS Tech Policy class made them more likely to pursue a career related to public service.
“The class and capstone event in Sacramento brought clarity to topics that may at first seem abstract,” said CITRIS executive director and Tech Policy lead Camille Crittenden. “The focus on real-world harms and attention to lobbying strategies of the tech industry helped students grapple with current issues and challenges.”
Co-instructor David Evan Harris appreciated the partnerships with the advocacy organizations. “We are grateful for the time and expertise that these partners brought to coaching the students over several months about real topics of interest to the legislature.”
Additional teaching staff included Xinping Hu, Steven Luo and Naomi Shiffman.
CITRIS expects to repeat the course in fall 2026; please contact Camille Crittenden at ccrittenden@berkeley.edu for more information.
Top photos, from left: Panel with Assembly members Chris Ward and Josh Lowenthal, with John Bennett of CITED, by Neha Dhage; tech policy design students and instructors at the State Capitol, by Jill Finlayson; panelists Julianne McCall and Daniel Harris-McCoy with moderator David Evan Harris by Jill Finlayson.