U.S. Public Policy and AI Innovation Intern (Summer 2026)

Available Locations: Washington D.C.
About Cloudflare's Public Policy Team
Cloudflare's Public Policy teams anticipate regulatory opportunities and challenges and advocate for the company's interests across a rapidly evolving digital and policy landscape. The team manages a diverse portfolio of issues, focusing on critical areas such as AI, cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, digital sovereignty, connectivity, and intermediary liability. Operating in a fast-paced environment, members collaborate across functions to align policy solutions with core business priorities. By building strategic external partnerships, they effectively promote Cloudflare's work and navigate complex global, national, and local policy issues to help build a better Internet for all.
What you'll do
As a U.S. Public Policy and AI Innovation Intern, you will dive headfirst into the intersection of public policy and cutting-edge technology. Primarily supporting our Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Federal, State and Local Policy, Policy Strategy, and Global Government Relations teams, you will assist in efforts to both (1) navigate and respond to relevant tech policy, legislative, and regulatory processes, and (2) build internal AI-driven tools to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of our policy work. We expect your internship will touch on a wide range of cutting-edge work streams and projects for the Public Policy team and could include:
Policy operations and advocacy

• Maintaining internal policy knowledge bases and issue trackers.
• Monitoring and evaluating U.S. federal, state, and local legislation for impact on Cloudflare products.
• Providing timely updates on policy shifts.
• Drafting talking points, policy messaging, and presentation materials for external events, blog posts, and consultation responses.
• Collaborating with Legal, Trust & Safety, Public Sector Sales, and other internal teams on regulatory inquiries and high-stakes policy issues.
• Analyzing new or proposed Internet- and Cloudflare-impacting regulations or legislation to guide advocacy and operational responses.

AI Innovation and Tooling

• Designing AI-driven prototypes, and developing and refining specialized prompts and internal AI interfaces to streamline policy team workflows and processes.
• Leveraging internal AI tools to synthesize vast amounts of public policy data into actionable insights, ensuring the team can respond to legislative shifts with higher speed and accuracy.
• Supporting the development of internal best practices for the responsible use of AI within the policy and legal functions.

• AI Policy & Compliance Research: Track and analyze emerging artificial intelligence legislation and frameworks across North America, including US federal initiatives (e.g., Executive Orders, NIST AI RMF), state-level AI regulations (e.g., California, Colorado), and Canada's Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA).
• Cybersecurity Regulatory Tracking: Monitor updates to cybersecurity mandates such as CISA's Secure by Design guidelines, SEC incident reporting rules, and critical infrastructure protection frameworks.
• Public Sector Enablement: Assist the Public Sector legal team in reviewing and updating compliance materials related to FedRAMP, StateRAMP, and IRAP requirements, helping to accelerate our mission to secure government entities.
• Drafting & Advocacy: Draft legal memos, policy briefs, and internal guidance documents outlining how new North American tech regulations impact Cloudflare's product roadmap, including our AI Gateway and zero-trust security services.

Examples of desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• • Education: Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree with a focus on technology, engineering, public policy, law, or a related field.
  • Tech-Forward Mindset: Strong demonstrated interest in Internet and technology policy, cybersecurity, privacy, and artificial intelligence issues.
  • AI Experience and Skills: Prior experience building and deploying AI tools and applications using modern developer workflows, including AI-augmented coding or natural language programming (vibe coding).
  • Analytical Rigor: Strong research, writing, and analytical skills. You are able to distill legislative and regulatory texts into clear, business-friendly advice and analysis.
  • Initiative: Self-starter mentality. You are comfortable navigating ambiguity, developing and initiating new projects. You thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
  • Curiosity: Willingness to learn, ask questions, and dig deep into novel issue sets with diligence, speed, and energy.
  • Communication: Strong interpersonal and communications skills. You can articulate complex technology and policy concepts to cross-functional and public audiences. Proficiency in English, both written and oral, is required.

Bonus Points

• Prior experience teaching AI tooling or adoption to a non-technical user base.
• Prior experience (including internships, clinical work, or research) in government, a public policy organization, trade association, or a technology company.
• Familiarity with Cloudflare's products, cloud computing infrastructure, and the general mechanics of how the Internet works.

Compensation

• Estimated hourly pay of $24/hour.