“Investing in good advice is key to building a strong advocacy strategy” Jonathan Schmidt, The Future Society

Jonathan Schmidt is an AI Governance Analyst at The Future Society, an independent nonprofit that helps global decision-makers act for security early, coordinate amidst shifting power dynamics, and navigate technological, catastrophic, and political risks from powerful Artificial Intelligence.

Photo by EUChanger, May, 2026

What does the change you are trying to achieve look like? Why is the EU important?

We work to ensure that the most powerful AI models and systems pose no severe risks, and that they strengthen rather than erode security, sovereignty, and fundamental freedoms.

We use a variety of governance mechanisms for this. We’re involved in campaigns such as the Global Call for AI Red Lines, we work on legislation such as the EU AI Act, and we input into technical research agendas. We work across jurisdictions and with multilateral organisations, and we run the annual Athens Roundtable on AI and the Rule of Law, which brings together AI governance stakeholders from around the world.

We have a dedicated EU team because the EU has been an early and committed actor on AI governance, and because what it decides often influences other jurisdictions and non-EU actors. 

The EU AI Act, for example, is the first comprehensive AI law from a major regulator. It has flaws, but it shows that the EU is willing to regulate AI, so we work to make sure that willingness is used well and that the risks actually get mitigated. 

Beyond the AI Act, we also look at other AI-relevant frameworks such as the Digital Services Act and the Cloud and AI Development Act.

Which challenges are you facing?

The biggest challenge is that AI currently moves faster than regulation and standards, faster than institutions and societies can adapt, and faster than the technical expertise needed to assess and mitigate its risks.

Large AI companies also have lobbying resources far beyond anything most AI governance organisations can match, which makes it harder to advance any position that diverges from theirs.

What tips do you want to share with other public interest advocates?

Coordinate with aligned organisations working on the same issues. Sharing information and dividing effort saves time and surfaces lessons that are otherwise hard to learn. It also builds the collective weight some wins require. For example, our work on the Global Call for AI Red Lines, signed by more than 90 organisations and 300 leaders, only worked because it was collective.

Be deliberate about your advocacy strategy. Before starting a project, work out what is actually missing. If it is knowledge, decide whether to do the research yourself or convene experts who can inform you. If it is political backing, work out which organisations and sectors could provide it, how to get them on side, and which channels to reach them through.

Finally, invest in advocacy and strategy advice. The EUChanger Advocacy Academy was the first place I found a comprehensive, practical mapping of how advocacy actually works, with implicit knowledge that is just not available through a Google search. Good advice is cheap compared with the cost of a badly aimed campaign.