About the Alliance
Who we are
LEadership
Brendan steinhauser
CEO
Brendan is the CEO of The Alliance for Secure AI. He has more than two decades of experience as a thought leader, strategic communicator, and media commentator. Before joining the Alliance, Brendan co-founded and led a strategic communications firm with his wife Randan. He has run political campaigns, served as a national spokesperson for national nonprofit groups, and led advocacy campaigns on everything from education to criminal justice reform.
A native of Flatonia, Texas, Brendan earned his undergraduate degree in Government from the University of Texas, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Brendan received his M.A. in Statecraft and International Affairs from The Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C.
In 2012 Brendan and his wife Randan launched Steinhauser Strategies, a full service public relations, government affairs, and political consulting firm.
Brendan is a frequent media commentator and has appeared on Fox News, Comedy Central, MSNBC, CNN, the BBC, NewsNation, and Newsmax. He has also been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and many more newspapers, magazines, books, and journals.
Brendan served as an Adjunct Professor of Political Science and Global Studies at St. Edward’s University in Austin, where he taught courses on Global Issues and State & Local Government.
He ran U.S. Senator John Cornyn’s re-election campaign in 2014, and has consulted for a number of Members of the House of Representatives.
He also serves on the board of the AI Policy Institute, where he helps guide research and policy discussions on the responsible development of artificial intelligence.
Brendan served as the national Director of Federal and State Campaigns for the grassroots organization FreedomWorks. In this role, he traveled to more than 40 states, advocating for limited government policies and organizing grassroots events that paved the way for the rise of the Tea Party movement.
Brendan was the lead organizer of the September 12, 2009 Taxpayer March on Washington, which was the largest protest by limited government activists in U.S. history.
Brendan served as a First Lieutenant and Company Commander in the Texas State Guard, which he joined in 2020. He earned his Military Emergency Management Specialist badge in 2021 and received the Commanding General’s Individual Award in 2023.
He has been awarded MSNBC’s “Inside the Beltway” award, Campaigns & Elections Magazine’s “Rising Stars” award, the Leadership Institute’s “Outstanding Alumni” award, and the District of Columbia Republican Committee’s 35 Under 35 Award.
Brendan was named one of TIME Magazine’s 40 under 40 Rising Political Stars in American politics.
We are making sure the advanced AI revolution continues in a secure, safe, and smart way.
Our Goal
We defend humanity in the age of advanced artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence is advancing at breakneck speed. It is reshaping our economy, national security, and our daily lives — but the conversation around AI is dominated by hype, corporate spin, and complacency.
The Alliance for Secure AI exists to drive the narrative about the need to secure AI for America — and all of humanity. We are here to educate the public, guide discourse, and ensure society is prepared for the rapidly-approaching era of advanced AI.
Issues
American Workforce
Our institutions must pave the way for Americans to pursue a new American dream: one where technology doesn’t strip them of their purpose.
AI is expected to make such an impact on America’s economy and labor force that some are referring to it as the Second Industrial Revolution – one that will be even more transformative than the first. Technology CEOs and experts are continuing to issue warnings about a mass displacement of workers, one even going so far as to call it a “white-collar bloodbath.
With the rise of automation, millions of blue-collar and white-collar workers will be displaced. We’re already seeing AI’s impact on the workforce: data shows that AI is currently displacing highly-skilled workers, and companies are using AIto replace entry-level workers, making it harder for college graduates to land their first jobs.
Societal Impacts
There is a mental health crisis and loneliness epidemic in America, and AI chatbots are driving it by further isolating people from each other.
The internet and social media have heavily influenced up-and-coming generations, including their mental health and how they receive their information. AI promises to have even more of an impact on these aspects of Americans’ lives – especially our children’s lives – and we’re already seeing the consequences. Children are building “friendships” with AI companions, teenagers are being influenced by chatbots to take their own lives, people who use AI regularly are becoming prone to delusions, and AI chatbots can give instructions on how to do anything, from murder to devil worship.
Big Tech is developing advanced AI with no regard for mitigating potential safety risks. We must hold Big Tech leaders and our policymakers accountable and urge them to implement the necessary guardrails to protect all Americans.
National Security
We must maintain American dominance in AI while keeping Americans safe.
As with any new emerging technology, America must protect its technology and citizens. Without controls, we risk human misuse of AI systems, systems that are misaligned with our country’s goals, and data and infrastructure vulnerable to physical and cybersecurity attacks.
Our leaders must implement robust export controls on American-made chips to guarantee that our adversaries cannot use our technology to create advanced AI systems misaligned with our values. We must also bolster security measures at our data centers, which are extremely vulnerable to threats from bad actors, so our technology is not in danger of being attacked physically or virtually. The federal government must also provide funding for ample safety testing and research on alignment.
Safety measures are not hindrances – they are how we will protect our nation in the era of advanced AI.
Civil Liberties
The American people should remain bulwarks against government overreach and stand with their fellow citizens against any heavy-handed use of AI that could threaten their liberties and their ability to move freely.
Government agencies, cities, law enforcement, and businesses are rapidly deploying AI across their organizations to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. However, using AI could infringe on Americans’ civil rights by deciding who gets a job offer, if the authorities should profile someone, and whose personal data should be collected. AI could cause issues with bias, surveillance, and policing that could turn people’s lives upside down.
Elected officials must be on the people’s side and provide oversight to companies developing technology for use in our institutions, whether for hiring, policing, or national defense.