The California Council on Science and Technology has launched an AI Science Residency Program and positioned its first two AI Science Advisors inside California state authorities, with Michael Chen becoming a member of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Justin Norman, PhD, becoming a member of the California Department of Technology to advise on frontier AI safety.
The program was introduced on July 7, 2026. Chen and Norman started their residencies in June 2026, inserting unbiased AI experience inside companies working throughout emergency response, cybersecurity, public knowledge, know-how coverage and AI safety laws.
CCST says the residency is designed to assist California leaders consider rising AI dangers, analyze safety incidents, assist the implementation of latest AI safety legal guidelines and enhance frontier AI danger administration.
The advisors are formally employed by CCST and positioned of their companies by memoranda of understanding. CCST says this construction is meant to supply an unbiased scientific perspective whereas permitting the advisors to work inside company management groups.
Chen will advise Cal OES on vital safety incidents, AI and cyber protection, and dangers linked to builders’ inner use of AI techniques. Norman will advise the California Department of Technology on frontier AI growth and governance, together with definitions and thresholds in California AI safety laws.
CCST launches AI residency mannequin
The AI Science Residency Program is a part of CCST’s AI Policy Initiative and sits inside its wider Science Residency Program, which brings senior-level scientific and technical specialists into California state authorities.
CCST says the Science Residency Program attracts on 17 years of expertise from its Science & Technology Policy Fellowship, which has positioned greater than 200 PhD-level scientists in California’s legislative and govt branches.
Julianne McCall, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of CCST, says: “We are proud to launch CCST’s AI Science Residency Program with these two world-class placements. California is leading the nation on AI governance, in large part thanks to exceptional talent committed to AI safety and public service – and we’re grateful to the many outstanding candidates who applied.
“As frontier AI development and governance rapidly evolve, good policy relies on a deep partnership between governance officials and cutting-edge technical expertise. This program connects California agencies with the top-tier AI talent they need to evaluate and advise on emerging risks, helping ensure technology serves the public good.”
CCST was established by the California Legislature in 1988 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit group offering science and know-how recommendation to policymakers.
Cal OES advisor will give attention to AI and cyber danger
Michael Chen has joined the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services as AI Science Advisor, reporting to Matthew Sage, Commander of the California Cybersecurity Integration Center, and dealing with the Homeland Security Cyber Policy Team.
Chen beforehand labored on evaluations-based AI governance at METR, a California-based nonprofit evaluator of autonomous AI agent capabilities and dangers. CCST says he suggested AI builders on frameworks for assessing, mitigating and disclosing catastrophic AI dangers, and labored on third-party evaluations, together with a evaluate of sabotage danger from AI brokers.
Chen has additionally engaged with U.S. authorities our bodies on frontier AI analysis, together with the Center for AI Standards and Innovation on the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He is a part-time PhD scholar on the University of Oxford and an affiliate of the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative.
Matthew Sage says: “Having a dedicated AI Science Advisor embedded within Cal OES will meaningfully strengthen our capacity to respond to the rapidly evolving frontier AI risk landscape. AI presents both tremendous opportunities and serious risks for emergency management and public safety. Michael’s expertise in evaluating AI systems and managing risks will help us collect, analyze, and respond to evolving AI risks and safety incidents. CCST has been an invaluable partner in facilitating a rigorous recruitment process to meet our needs.”
Chen says: “AI agents are learning to autonomously execute exponentially more complex projects over time. That now includes cyberattacks and will pose risks for critical infrastructure. At Cal OES, I look forward to working with frontier developers in reviewing assessments of risk from their internal use of frontier models. I’m also excited to help California prepare thoughtful, proactive response plans and playbooks for frontier AI risks.”
Technology division appointment targets AI laws
Justin Norman, PhD, has joined the California Department of Technology as AI Science Advisor. His position consists of advising senior management on frontier AI growth and governance, contributing to suggestions on frontier AI safety for the California Legislature, and coordinating with authorities companies, educational researchers, federal labs, private-sector organizations and nonprofit teams.
Norman has greater than 20 years of utilized technical and govt management expertise throughout authorities and business. He beforehand served as appearing Portfolio Director and Technical Director for Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning on the Defense Innovation Unit, and as CTO and Deputy Director of the United States Indo-Pacific Command Joint Mission Accelerator Directorate.
His business roles embody CTO and Head of AI at Vera AI, Vice President of Data Science, Analytics and Data Products at Yelp, Director of Research and ML/AI at Cloudera Fast Forward Labs, and Global Head of Cisco’s Enterprise Data Science Office.
Government Operations Secretary Nick Maduros says: “We’re thrilled to partner with CCST on this new program. We’re looking forward to working with these incredible advisors to help the state navigate emerging issues around artificial intelligence.”
Norman says: “I am honored to join CDT at this pivotal moment for AI governance. California has the opportunity — and the responsibility — to demonstrate that governments can produce effective technically and socially grounded AI policy that still supports rapid innovation. I look forward to supporting CDT’s leadership in translating the latest science and technical evidence into practical, effective policy that protects Californians and builds public trust in AI.”
The first AI Science Residency placements are actually working inside Cal OES and the California Department of Technology. CCST says Chen and Norman will assist company work on frontier AI safety, danger evaluation, emergency response planning and proposals linked to California AI safety laws.