Black in AI Safety and Ethics opens applications for first BASE Fellowship
A new remote fellowship focused on AI safety, governance, and security has opened applications for Black researchers and professionals, with the first cohort set to begin in April 2026.
Black in AI Safety and Ethics (BASE) has opened applications for its first BASE Fellowship, a twelve-week, part-time, fully remote program designed to support Black researchers, professionals, and emerging talent working in AI safety, AI security, and AI governance. The program is scheduled to run from April to July 2026.
The fellowship arrives amid growing scrutiny of how artificial intelligence systems are governed, secured, and evaluated, and who is represented in shaping those decisions. BASE positions the program as a pathway into research and policy-facing work at a time when demand for AI oversight expertise is accelerating across education, industry, and government.
Focus on AI safety, security, and governance
The BASE Fellowship is structured around three tracks: AI alignment, AI security, and AI governance. Fellows complete an initial curriculum phase covering core concepts in AI safety and ethics, followed by guided mentorship and a capstone research project aligned with their chosen track.
According to the program outline, technical tracks focus on areas such as interpretability, oversight, adversarial robustness, and risk management, while non-technical tracks center on policy analysis, standards development, and systemic risk evaluation. Fellows are expected to produce a research deliverable by the end of the program.
In a LinkedIn post announcing the fellowship, Lawrence Wagner said the program was designed to support Black scholars and professionals who want to “contribute meaningfully to AI Safety, AI Security, and AI Governance,” adding that the fellowship aimed to combine foundational training with structured mentorship and applied research outcomes.
Selection process and timeline
Applications close on January 9, 2026, with a multi-stage selection process planned. Applicants who pass the initial review stage are invited to complete either a coding assessment or a work-based task, depending on their chosen track. Successful candidates then apply to specific mentor-led projects before final offers are issued in early March.
BASE has positioned the fellowship as part of a broader effort to build a global community of Black practitioners and researchers working on responsible AI. The organization cites ongoing underrepresentation in AI governance and safety roles as a risk to the development of equitable and accountable systems.
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