Jared Andrew Cohen (born November 24, 1981) is an American businessman and presidential historian serving as President of Global Affairs and co-head of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute at Goldman Sachs. He previously founded and led Jigsaw (formerly Google Ideas), a technology incubator focused on internet governance and security. Cohen is known for his work at the intersection of technology, diplomacy, and policy, particularly on geopolitical risks associated with Artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.
Cohen has held roles in the U.S. State Department, Google, and the Council on Foreign Relations. His career spans government service, tech industry leadership, and financial sector strategy, with a focus on counter-radicalization, internet freedom, and the impact of emerging technologies on global affairs.
Early life and education
Cohen was born to a Jewish family in Weston, Connecticut. He earned a bachelor's degree from Stanford University in 2004, majoring in history and political science with a minor in African studies. He later studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, where he received a master's degree in international relations.
U.S. State Department career
Cohen joined the Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff in 2006 at age 24, initially under Condoleezza Rice during the Bush administration. He was one of the few staffers retained by Hillary Clinton when she became Secretary of State. His portfolio included counter-terrorism, counter-radicalization, Middle East and South Asia affairs, and internet freedom. Cohen was an early adopter of social media in government; by April 2010, he had the third-largest Twitter following among U.S. government officials, behind Barack Obama and John McCain.
During the June 2009 Iranian election protests, Cohen contacted Twitter to request that planned maintenance be postponed, as protestors relied on the platform to communicate with the outside world. This action reportedly violated the Obama administration's non-interference policy, drawing White House criticism, though Clinton later cited it with pride. Cohen also advised Richard Holbrooke, the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and traveled with him to Afghanistan to develop strategic communications strategies.
Cohen left the State Department on September 2, 2010. He was an architect of what was later termed "21st century statecraft," a concept promoting the use of digital tools in diplomacy.
Google and Jigsaw
In October 2010, Cohen was hired as the first director of Google Ideas, a new branch within Google. With the creation of Alphabet Inc., Google Ideas spun out into Jigsaw, which Cohen founded and led until 2022. Jigsaw aimed to build technology to address issues such as violent extremism, online censorship, and information access for vulnerable populations. Its products included tools for countering radicalization and defending against cyber threats.
Jigsaw's work drew both praise and criticism. A 2019 Vice Motherboard report described a toxic workplace environment, mismanagement, and poor retention of women engineers and researchers. Despite these challenges, Cohen gained recognition for his leadership in tech policy. In June 2022, he addressed the UN Security Council, warning that Russian cyberattacks and disinformation in Ukraine were a "crystal ball" for future global threats, and called for a deterrence doctrine for the cyber domain.
Techno-democracy and Goldman Sachs
In November 2020, Cohen co-authored an article in Foreign Affairs with Richard Fontaine articulating the concept of "techno-democracy." This proposed a "T-12" group of advanced democracies to compete with China on technology issues, a concept that gained backing from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
In July 2022, Goldman Sachs announced Cohen's hiring as President of Global Affairs and co-head of the Office of Applied Innovation. He joined in August as a Partner and member of the Management Committee. In October 2023, he co-founded the Goldman Sachs Global Institute with George Lee, focusing on emerging technologies and their geopolitical implications.
Legacy and influence
Cohen was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2013. His work has shaped discussions on internet governance, counter-radicalization, and the role of technology in foreign policy. At Goldman Sachs, he continues to address Generative AI risks and the intersection of Large language model development with global security, drawing on his background in both government and tech.
Cohen's career reflects a broader trend of tech-savvy policymakers influencing how nations approach digital threats and opportunities. His advocacy for international cooperation on cyber issues remains relevant as Artificial intelligence systems become more integrated into critical infrastructure and geopolitical strategy.