Week 4 Assignment: Policy Analysis
Week 4 Assignment: Policy Analysis#
Due: End of Week 4 | Format: Policy brief | Length: 800-1000 words
📝 Assignment Overview#
Analyze a real AI policy or regulatory framework. Explain its goals, mechanisms, strengths, and limitations in a professional policy brief format.
📋 Instructions#
Policy Selection#
Choose one of these policies or propose your own:
- EU AI Act — Risk-based regulatory classification
- US Executive Order on AI — Biden administration AI governance
- NIST AI Risk Management Framework — Voluntary guidelines
- California’s SB 701 — Algorithmic Discrimination Law
- China’s AI Governance — Industry standards and oversight
- Your choice (get instructor approval)
Policy Brief (800-1000 words)#
Structure your brief as follows:
1. Executive Summary (100 words)
- What policy? When adopted? What problem does it address?
2. Policy Overview (200 words)
- Key mechanisms and requirements
- What does it mandate, prohibit, or encourage?
- Who must comply?
- What are penalties or enforcement mechanisms?
3. Stated Goals & Assumptions (150 words)
- What problems is this policy trying to solve?
- What assumptions underlie the policy?
- What values does it prioritize?
4. Strengths (150 words)
- What does this policy do well?
- How might it effectively address AI risks?
- Are there innovative or promising elements?
5. Limitations & Critique (250 words)
- What gaps or loopholes exist?
- What problems could it fail to address?
- Critiques from industry, civil society, or academia?
- What’s not covered that should be?
6. Recommendations (150 words)
- How could this policy be strengthened?
- What complementary policies are needed?
- How does this fit into a broader governance framework?
📌 Rubric#
| Criteria | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding | 20% | Accurate, detailed explanation of policy |
| Analysis | 40% | Balanced assessment of strengths and limitations |
| Critical Thinking | 20% | Thoughtful evaluation; identifies gaps; offers solutions |
| Professionalism | 20% | Clear writing, proper structure, correct citations |
💡 Tips for Success#
- Use official policy documents as primary sources
- Include perspectives from multiple stakeholders (government, industry, civil society)
- Be balanced: acknowledge tradeoffs and complexity
- Use professional policy brief format
- Include proper citations (footnotes or references)
📤 Submission#
Submit a PDF document via D2L by 11:59 PM on [Due Date].
Need a template? Find policy brief templates in the course materials folder.