AI Legal Fellow

Location: Remote in the United States
Hours: Full-time (salaried) for a term of two years
Start date: Candidate’s earliest availability

ABOUT AUTHORS ALLIANCE 

Authors Alliance is a non-profit organization launched in 2014. Our mission is to advance the interests of authors who want to serve the public good by sharing their creations broadly. We create resources to help authors understand and enjoy their rights and promote policies that make knowledge and culture available and discoverable. In short, we work for authors who write to be read—today and for generations to come.

THE “ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AUTHORSHIP AND PUBLIC INTEREST” PROJECT 

The AI Legal Fellow supports Authors Alliance’s efforts under a project titled “Artificial Intelligence, Authorship, and the Public Interest,” which seeks to identify, clarify, and offer answers to some of the most challenging copyright questions posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and how this new technology can best serve the advancement of knowledge and the public interest.

The goals of this two-year project, supported by the  John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, are to target some of the most important copyright questions and make the research accessible to a broader audience, focusing on the public interest. Specifically, we aim to:

  1. Conduct and publish in-depth research on the interaction between AI and copyright law.
  2. Produce public-facing outputs that translate complex legal and technical issues into accessible information for authors, librarians, policymakers, and the general public.
  3. Host a symposium featuring major research articles authored by leading scholars, followed by publication of these articles.
  4. Emphasize the role of copyright law in supporting democratic values and serving the common good.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The AI Legal Fellow will report to Authors Alliance’s Executive Director and will work collaboratively with the Authors Alliance team as well as the Advisory Board assembled for this project. The AI Legal Fellow’s work will  focus on: 

  • Research and Writing: A primary part of this role will be to research and write white papers, blog posts, short articles and other written outputs on a variety of copyright and AI topics. This role will also take the lead on synthesizing and investigating feedback from the Advisory Board, workshops, and other stakeholder interactions.
  • Coordination and Project Management: The AI Legal Fellow will work with a number of internal and external stakeholders, including Authors Alliance staff, advisory board members, and other outside stakeholders to organize workshops, webinars, and other events in support of the project.
  • Public Speaking: Depending on the interest of the AI Legal Fellow and the needs of the project, this role may include occasional travel within the U.S., as well as opportunities to represent the project at a variety of conferences, events, and other convenings. 

REQUIREMENTS AND DESIRED SKILLS

Applicants should:

  • Have a J.D. or equivalent degree;
  • Have demonstrated experience or interest in copyright law and its application to research, writing, and access to knowledge; 
  • Demonstrated commitment to supporting the public interest;
  • Possess a firm understanding of the range of legal, ethical, technical, and practical challenges associated with AI development;
  • Be an excellent writer. This includes a demonstrated ability to craft clear written outputs for a wide variety of academic and non-academic readers. 
  • Be able to manage projects and independently organize workflows to meet deadlines

SALARY

This position is supported by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Accordingly, the budget for this position is set by the budget for that grant at $90,000 annually for a term of two years. Health, dental, and vision benefits are provided. 401(k) savings plan available. 

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit your CV, three references, and a short (5-10 page) writing sample of your choosing to info@authorsalliance.org. We will review applications and conduct interviews on a rolling basis.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, or disability.