NSI Founder & Scalia Law Professor Jamil N. Jaffer to Participate in First Meeting of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force
December 9, 2024
Keelin Wolfe
National Security Institute
Arlington, VA – At 11:30 am today, Jamil N. Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director of the National Security Institute (NSI) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, will participate in the first meeting of Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s AI Task Force.
This inaugural meeting will lay the groundwork for the Task Force, which will focus on how Virginia can continue to lead in the AI space, whether and what potential guardrails should be adopted, and how AI can be integrated in education. Prof. Jaffer was appointed to the Governor’s new AI Task Force on October 16 along with ten of the most prominent AI experts located in the Commonwealth, including NSI Cyber & Tech Center (NSI CTC) Fellow Zach Graves.
“I look forward to beginning the important work of the Task Force and collaborating with the other distinguished members of the Task Force,” said Jaffer. “Through this Task Force, we can provide Governor Youngkin with actionable ideas that promote innovation in the AI domain, create jobs for Virginians, and takes advantage of Virginia’s distinction as the number one state for business and our unique position as the home to multiple top-tier universities and a significant number of our nation’s most critical intelligence and national defense agencies and companies.”
“Professor Jaffer’s leadership and expertise have been pivotal in positioning the National Security Institute at the forefront of technology and policy discussions,” said Ken Randall, Dean of George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. “We look forward to the positive impact this Task Force will have under his and the other members’ guidance.”
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the formation of the AI task force on October 16, 2024. It was launched under Executive Order 30 to advise policymakers on how Virginia can become a leader in the AI space and will meet biannually.
Today’s meeting can be viewed live through this link. More information on the governor’s AI Task Force, including the agenda for today’s meeting, can be found on the Office of Regulatory Management’s website.
About Jamil N. Jaffer
Jamil N. Jaffer is a renowned national security expert, legal scholar, technology entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. Jaffer is the Founder and Executive Director of the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, where he teaches courses on counterterrorism, intelligence, and cybersecurity. Jaffer also serves as a Venture Partner and Strategic Advisor at Paladin Capital, a prominent Washington, DC-based venture capital firm focused on dual-use national security and cybersecurity investments. Jaffer holds several notable board and advisory positions, including serving as a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB). Jaffer has held senior roles in both the public and private sectors, including Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush, Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice, Senior Counsel to the House Intelligence Committee, and Chief Counsel and Senior Advisor to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Widely published on national security, intelligence, foreign policy, and technology issues, Jaffer is also a frequent expert commentator in major media outlets.
About the National Security Institute
The National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School serves as a platform for research, teaching, scholarship, and policy development. NSI incorporates a realistic assessment of the threats facing the United States and its allies, as well as an appreciation of the legal and practical challenges facing our intelligence, law enforcement, national security, technology, innovation, and cybersecurity communities.
About the Scalia Law School
The Antonin Scalia Law School was founded in 1972 as the International School of Law in Washington, DC. In 1979 it merged with George Mason Law school and was named after the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016. The school is located in Arlington, Va. and is ranked #28 nationally by US News—#3 among all 16 schools in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland. The school offers JD, LLM, and JM degrees and is home to seven nationally acclaimed centers, including the Law and Economics Center, the National Security Institute and the NSI Cyber & Tech Center, and the first-in-the-nation Cyber, Intelligence, and National Security LL.M. program.
About George Mason University
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 37,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility.