Sriram Krishnan moves from White House AI adviser to private AI institution-building

Sriram Krishnan spent about a year and a half helping write America’s AI rulebook. Now he appears ready to invest in the companies that will have to live by it.

A new venture fund focused on the intersection of AI and policy has been announced on X and tied to Krishnan. He served as Senior White House Policy Advisor on AI until mid-2026, and few investors have had a closer view of how Washington thinks about the technology.

From policy desk to cap table

The fund’s stated focus is AI and policy.

The timing follows Krishnan’s government exit closely. He held the White House role from January 20, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

When he stepped down, he said he planned to build institutions tackling major AI challenges for the US and its allies. He named energy and data centers as examples, the unglamorous plumbing that every large model depends on.

As of October 2026, his stated plan was to keep shaping US AI policy while launching new AI technology initiatives.

He has also reportedly explored leading a proposed industry self-regulatory body involving major AI firms such as Google and OpenAI.

A resume built for this exact niche

In July 2025, he co-authored the American AI Action Plan, the administration’s main roadmap for AI.

During his tenure, he also contributed to an executive order on AI innovation and security.

Before government, he worked in venture capital. He was a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz from 2021 to 2024.

He also co-founded Kearny Jackson, a venture firm that closed a $65 million Fund III in 2024. That fund targets B2B SaaS, infrastructure and related technology sectors.

Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at major tech companies including Microsoft and Meta.

Why an AI-and-policy fund matters

Krishnan’s stated interest in energy and data centers points to where that edge could matter most. Those sectors run on permits, grid access and government coordination.

There are open questions too. The overlap between former policymakers and private investment has long drawn scrutiny in Washington, across many industries and administrations.

A fund that invests at the AI-policy crossroads, run by someone who recently helped set that policy, will likely face questions about access and influence. Krishnan’s possible role with an industry self-regulatory body would add another layer to that conversation.

Watch for three things next. The first is the fund’s portfolio, which will show whether the AI-and-policy thesis means energy and infrastructure bets or something closer to compliance and governance tooling. The second is whether the proposed self-regulatory body involving Google and OpenAI gets off the ground, and who ends up leading it. The third is how Kearny Jackson, with its $65 million Fund III, relates to the new vehicle.