Marcin Olender Joins AI Chamber as Director of Public Policy

AI Chamber is pleased to announce that Marcin Olender has joined as Director of Public Policy. With extensive experience in internet governance, digital policy, and regulatory affairs, Marcin will play a key role in shaping AI governance and fostering innovation across the CEE region.

Marcin brings a deep understanding of internet regulation, data protection, cybersecurity, and online content governance, having worked in both the public and private sectors. His expertise in navigating EU digital policy will be instrumental in ensuring that AI Chamber continues to advocate for an AI-friendly regulatory environment that supports growth and innovation.

On joining AI Chamber, Marcin shared his perspective on this new chapter in his career:

“Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by a simple yet powerful belief: technology, when properly governed, can be an extraordinary force for progress. And our drive for change, for making the world a better place, for overcoming our limitations is what defines us as human and sets us apart from the rest of Creation.

Change is always hard, it always creates upheaval and disruption. It doesn’t rise in a straight line towards progress and improvement, but rather it weaves and falters, changes its flow, sometimes even reverses. But we pick it up again and continue on our inevitable path to transcending our humble beginnings as a species.

As Niccolò Machiavelli said about the pitfalls of leading change: “The innovator has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order, this lukewarmness arising […] from the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.”

I was not gifted with the ability to create the innovations that shape and transform the world we live in today. I am not an engineer or scientist, one of the true heroes of our civilization. What I can do is help clear a path for them and create an environment where their talents can bear fruit without undue hindrance. This is how I see my mission, and it isn’t just a professional challenge for me – it’s deeply personal.

Today, as AI transforms our world at an unprecedented pace, I believe we stand at a critical inflection point. The policies we shape now will determine whether this technology fulfills its promise to enhance human potential rather than diminish it. Accelerating our region’s embrace of AI aligns perfectly with the mission I outlined above – to help push humanity towards its bright future. This is not about creating the next AI model or chatbot – this technology has the potential to infuse and transform everything we do, like electricity. From healthcare, to defence, to farming. Bad policy decisions or influence of legacy industries, threatened by change, can jeopardize this future and leave us on the sidelines of this revolution.

My experience has taught me one crucial lesson: we achieve the best outcomes when diverse stakeholders work together with shared purpose. This is why I’m asking all of you – business leaders, startupers, policymakers, civil society, and academia – to join forces as we navigate this exciting yet tumultuous time. I believe that the AI Chamber can be a platform for sharing ideas and formulating solutions that we can take forward together.

Let’s collaborate to create a CEE AI ecosystem that drives economic growth while respecting our shared values. Let’s ensure that the benefits of these powerful technologies reach every corner of our region and every sector of our economies. And let’s prove that with thoughtful governance, innovation and public good can advance hand in hand.

Onwards!”

We are excited to have Marcin on board and look forward to working together to build a regulatory environment that fosters responsible AI innovation in the CEE region. AI Chamber remains committed to collaborating with business leaders, policymakers, startups, and academia to ensure that AI serves as a force for progress and economic growth.

If you would like to engage with AI Chamber and Marcin on AI policy, feel free to reach out and join the conversation.