Yolanda Lannquist
Yolanda is Senior Advisor at The Future Society on AI policy. She was previously The Future Society’s Director of Global AI Governance from 2019-2024 and Senior AI Policy Researcher from 2018. From 2020 through 2025, she has been leading the development of four National AI Strategies in Africa with GIZ and government ministries towards inclusion and sustainable development.
Yolanda is an appointed expert to the OECD AI Policy Observatory, UN Broadband Commission on AI Capacity Building, and The Economist, and taught AI Policy at IE University in Madrid. She has a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and European Studies from Columbia University with Phi Beta Kappa honors. She was a consultant for The World Bank’s Digital Development team on AI policy in developing countries. Previously, Yolanda advised Fortune 500 multinationals on machine learning, innovation, and market entry strategy as a business strategy consultant in Copenhagen. She also worked on digital trade and regulation at the U.S. Embassy in Paris and on global human capital research at The Conference Board in New York. Yolanda is Turkish-American and is based in San Francisco.
Yolanda Lannquist
San Francisco
Related resources
Guidance on Risk Mitigation for the Open Foundation Model Value Chain
Guidance on Risk Mitigation for the Open Foundation Model Value Chain
The Future Society contributed to Partnership on AI’s risk mitigation strategies for the open foundation model value chain, which identify interventions for the range of actors involved in building and operationalizing AI systems.
TFS feedback reflected in historic UN General Assembly resolution on AI
TFS feedback reflected in historic UN General Assembly resolution on AI
Earlier this year, we provided feedback on a draft UN General Assembly resolution on AI. Last week, an updated resolution that reflected our feedback, co-sponsored by more than 120 Member States, was adopted by consensus.
TFS joins U.S. NIST AI Safety Institute Consortium
TFS joins U.S. NIST AI Safety Institute Consortium
TFS is collaborating with the NIST in the AI Safety Institute Consortium to establish a new measurement science that will enable the identification of proven, scalable, and interoperable measurements and methodologies to promote development of trustworthy AI and its responsible use.
TFS provides input to UN initiatives on global AI governance
TFS provides input to UN initiatives on global AI governance
TFS contributed recommendations to two major United Nations initiatives on global governance of artificial intelligence, providing feedback on a draft UN General Assembly plenary resolution and responding to open calls for feedback on the UN AI Advisory Body's interim report.
Contribution to Safety and Global Governance of Generative Al Report
Contribution to Safety and Global Governance of Generative Al Report
TFS members contributed an article to the Safety and Global Governance of Generative Al Report, proposing ten principles for institutional design in AI governance.
Contribution to the G7 Hiroshima AI Process Code of Conduct
Contribution to the G7 Hiroshima AI Process Code of Conduct
TFS contributed to the United States and European Union’s public consultations on the G7 Hiroshima Artificial Intelligence Process Guiding Principles and Code of Conduct.
Cabinet of Rwanda approves National AI Policy
Cabinet of Rwanda approves National AI Policy
On April 20th, 2023, the Cabinet of Rwanda approved their National AI Policy, which TFS supported in drafting.
National AI Strategies for Inclusive & Sustainable Development
National AI Strategies for Inclusive & Sustainable Development
From 2020 to 2022, TFS supported the development of 3 National AI Strategies in Africa with public sector partners, GIZ, and Smart Africa. These programs build capacity through AI policy, regulatory, and governance frameworks to support countries’ efforts to harness AI responsibly, to achieve national objectives and inclusive and sustainable...
Cross-ministerial consultation workshop for Ghana’s National AI Strategy
Cross-ministerial consultation workshop for Ghana’s National AI Strategy
In 2022, TFS is supporting the development of Ghana’s National AI Strategy with the Government of Ghana represented by Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, GIZ FAIR Forward and Smart Africa. On August 11th, TFS with project partners held the third high-level public sector consultation workshop to review the draft recommendations….
Stakeholder consultation workshops drive insights for National AI Strategies in Tunisia and Ghana
Stakeholder consultation workshops drive insights for National AI Strategies in Tunisia and Ghana
In May 2022, The Future Society (TFS) co-led stakeholder consultation workshops in Tunis and Accra to support the development of Tunisia’s and Ghana’s national AI strategies.
AI Policy Seminar for U.S. State Legislators
AI Policy Seminar for U.S. State Legislators
In the United States, many paramount AI issues are litigated, regulated, and evaluated in lower jurisdictions before reaching the federal government. States, in essence, serve as laboratories for broader policymaking—providing insight into national regulatory trajectories. In spite of state legislators’ critical role, relatively little is known about their AI expertise,…
Leveraging Responsible AI in the Banking Sector in Africa
Leveraging Responsible AI in the Banking Sector in Africa
Between May and August 2021, The Future Society collaborated with the bank Société Générale, its 16 branches in Africa, and the civic tech Bluenove to up-skill Société Générale employees’ understanding about the risks and benefits linked to the adoption of AI in the banking sector. The three workshops organised throughout...
Opportunities & Challenges of AI in Healthcare in Africa
Opportunities & Challenges of AI in Healthcare in Africa
This briefing outlines some of the key opportunities, challenges, and governance pathways for responsible AI adoption in the healthcare sector in Africa.
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa During and After the Pandemic at Ibrahim Governance Weekend
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa During and After the Pandemic at Ibrahim Governance Weekend
The Ibrahim Governance Weekend (IGW), organized by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, brings together leading voices from across Africa and beyond to discuss issues of critical importance to the continent’s progress. As part of this year’s IGW, The Future Society (TFS) organized and led a panel discussion on how AI can…
Rwanda’s National AI Policy: Stakeholder Workshop
Rwanda’s National AI Policy: Stakeholder Workshop
For the past six months, the Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT) and the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA), supported by GIZ FAIR Forward and The Future Society (TFS) have partaken in a multi-stakeholder process to develop a National AI Policy framework and implementation plan for the Republic of Rwanda.
Rwanda’s AI Strategy at Rwanda Internet Governance Forum
Rwanda’s AI Strategy at Rwanda Internet Governance Forum
The Future Society presented during the session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the Rwanda Internet Governance Forum on September 30, 2020. Yolanda Lannquist presented along with GIZ FAIR Forward our project supporting Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT and Innovation and Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority to develop a national AI strategy and…