Bitcoin Policy Institute

Can the power grid keep up with AI without leaving ratepayers with the bill? Marty Bent and Travis Fisher join Thomas Pacchia to discuss grid capacity, private power, permitting and what AI infrastructure can learn from Bitcoin mining.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Lessons from Bitcoin mining
02:24 The strongest critiques of rapid grid growth
04:24 Private grids and off-grid experimentation
06:46 Who pays if demand falls short?
07:21 Moving compute toward available power
09:17 Flexibility, storage, and permitting reform
12:20 Political risk and AI’s economic role

Session: Powering It All
Recorded during Day 2 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 23, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Thomas Pacchia — Co-Founder, PubKey; moderator
Travis Fisher — Director of Energy and Environmental Policy Studies, Cato Institute
Marty Bent — Managing Partner, Ten31

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
PubKey DC: https://dc.pubkey.com/press
Travis Fisher — Cato Institute: https://www.cato.org/people/travis-fisher
Ten31: https://ten31.vc/
Marty Bent — TFTC: https://www.tftc.io/author/marty

FOLLOW ON X
Thomas Pacchia: @tpacchia — https://x.com/tpacchia
PubKey: @pubkey — https://x.com/pubkey
Marty Bent: @MartyBent — https://x.com/MartyBent
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

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Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #Energy #BitcoinMining

What do AI data centers mean for your electricity bill—and how should the industry respond to public concerns? Seb Sheng, Brian Morgenstern and AJ Scalia examine power demand, efficiency, local benefits and the case for earning community trust.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:44 Taking community concerns seriously
05:05 Making the case for shared prosperity
06:46 Challenging water and power narratives
09:11 Turning efficiency into capacity
12:48 Building lasting local relationships
16:13 AI, jobs, and public trust
19:23 Rural communities and more affordable services

Session: Recapturing the Data Center Narrative
Recorded during Day 2 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 23, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
AJ Scalia — Head of Operations, Bitcoin Policy Institute; moderator
Seb Sheng — CEO and Founder, Brick AI
Brian Morgenstern — Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Riot Platforms

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
AJ Scalia — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/aj-scalia
Brick AI: https://www.brick-data.com/
Riot Platforms: https://www.riotplatforms.com/

FOLLOW ON X
AJ Scalia: @ajscalia — https://x.com/ajscalia
Brian Morgenstern: @MorgensternNJ — https://x.com/MorgensternNJ
Riot Platforms: @RiotPlatforms — https://x.com/RiotPlatforms
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #DataCenters #Energy

Can AI data centers deliver benefits that local communities actually want? Paul Hanson joins Sam Lyman to discuss community engagement, industrial redevelopment, local jobs, electricity costs and the lessons Bitcoin miners bring to AI infrastructure.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:36 Why communities push back
02:35 Making the case for local benefits
05:30 Designing around neighborhood concerns
08:00 Reindustrializing Rockdale
10:38 Ratepayer protection and grid investment
15:36 Data centers and national security

Session: Beyond Power and Permits: Community Engagement in Data Center Development
Recorded during Day 2 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 23, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Sam Lyman — Head of Research, Bitcoin Policy Institute; moderator
Paul Hanson — Chairman, Bitdeer HPCAI

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
Sam Lyman — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/sam-lyman
Bitdeer: https://bitdeer.com/

FOLLOW ON X
Sam Lyman: @SamLyman33 — https://x.com/SamLyman33
Bitdeer HPCAI: @Bitdeer — https://x.com/Bitdeer
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #DataCenters #AI

Who should control the technology that shapes your speech, privacy and digital life? Sam Lyman connects cypherpunk humanism with self-government and outlines a policy platform for free speech, privacy and the right to compute.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:42 Freedom tech and self-government
02:51 A policy platform for digital rights
03:38 Free speech and the right to compute

Session: A Policy Platform for Cypherpunk Humanism
Recorded during Day 2 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 23, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Sam Lyman — Head of Research, Bitcoin Policy Institute

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
Sam Lyman — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/sam-lyman

FOLLOW ON X
Sam Lyman: @SamLyman33 — https://x.com/SamLyman33
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #DigitalRights #AIPolicy

What can the fight over crypto legislation teach policymakers about AI? Patrick Witt joins Ken Egan to discuss the CLARITY effort, durable regulation, open-source developer protections, AI payments and future digital-asset policy proposals.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
01:08 What comes after the CLARITY setback?
02:17 AI agents, payments and regulatory durability
03:56 Lessons from educating Congress
06:54 How AI companies engage with policymakers
08:54 Open-source developers and civil liberties
11:47 Reserve, crypto tax and reconciliation prospects

Session: After Clarity: Lessons for AI Policy
Recorded during Day 2 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 23, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Ken Egan — Head of Government Affairs, Bitcoin Policy Institute; moderator
Patrick Witt — Executive Director, President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
Ken Egan — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/ken-egan
The White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/

FOLLOW ON X
Ken Egan: @Bayman11771 — https://x.com/Bayman11771
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #AIPolicy #DigitalAssets

Ramez Naam examines how widely available AI could support individual liberty, drawing comparisons with earlier information technologies. He discusses competition among AI models, open weights, safety and security, and the challenges facing the open source AI community.

Recorded during Day 1 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 22, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Ramez Naam — Author, The Nexus Trilogy

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
Ramez Naam: https://www.rameznaam.com/
The Nexus Trilogy — publisher: https://angryrobotbooks.com/books/nexus-ramez-naam/

FOLLOW ON X
Ramez Naam: @ramez — https://x.com/ramez
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #BitcoinPolicyInstitute #RamezNaam #OpenSource #AI

Janessa Lopez joins Conner Brown and David Zell to discuss the Bitcoin Policy Institute’s origins, growth, and future direction. They explain the Freedom Tech DC name, connections between Bitcoin and AI policy, and their goals for research and advocacy supporting individual liberty.

Recorded during Day 1 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 22, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Conner Brown — Executive Director, Bitcoin Policy Institute
David Zell — President, Bitcoin Policy Institute
Janessa Lopez — Head of Digital Assets Policy, Block

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
Conner Brown — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/conner-brown
David Zell — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/david-zell
Block: https://block.xyz/

FOLLOW ON X
Conner Brown: @BitcoinConner — https://x.com/BitcoinConner
David Zell: @DavidZell_ — https://x.com/DavidZell_
Block: @blocks — https://x.com/blocks
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #BitcoinPolicyInstitute #Bitcoin #AI #CivilLiberties

Anna Chekhovich joins Arsh Molu to discuss how activists use Bitcoin when governments block bank accounts and restrict cross-border support. They describe the Anti-Corruption Foundation’s experience, practical education for nonprofits, and the opportunities and privacy concerns surrounding AI tools for human rights work.

Recorded during Day 1 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 22, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Arsh Molu — Freedom Tech Strategy & Operations Lead, Human Rights Foundation; moderator
Anna Chekhovich — Financial Director, Anti-Corruption Foundation

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
Human Rights Foundation: https://hrf.org/
Arsh Molu — Oslo Freedom Forum: https://oslofreedomforum.com/speaker/arsh-molu/
Anti-Corruption Foundation: https://fbk.info/en

FOLLOW ON X
Arsh Molu: @arshmolu — https://x.com/arshmolu
Anna Chekhovich: @AnyaChekhovich — https://x.com/AnyaChekhovich
Anti-Corruption Foundation: @ACF_int — https://x.com/ACF_int
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #BitcoinPolicyInstitute #Bitcoin #HumanRights #FreedomTech

Conner Brown, Joey Garcia, and Eugenia Kenny discuss the launch and purpose of BPI International, and how digital asset policy in one jurisdiction can affect an open global network. The panel explores policymaker education, self-custody, consumer protection, and the distinction between Bitcoin and other digital assets, with lessons from engagement in the UK and Taiwan.

Recorded during Day 1 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 22, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Conner Brown — Executive Director, Bitcoin Policy Institute; moderator
Joey Garcia — Chief Strategy, Policy & Regulatory Affairs Officer, Xapo Bank
Eugenia Kenny — Senior Associate, Bitcoin Policy Institute

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
Conner Brown — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/conner-brown
Joey Garcia — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/joey-garcia
Xapo Bank: https://www.xapobank.com/en
Eugenia Kenny — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/eugenia-kenny

FOLLOW ON X
Conner Brown: @BitcoinConner — https://x.com/BitcoinConner
Joey Garcia: @Joeyg_poh — https://x.com/Joeyg_poh
Eugenia Kenny: @EugeniaBKenny — https://x.com/EugeniaBKenny
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #BitcoinPolicyInstitute #Bitcoin #BPIInternational #SelfCustody

Sam Lyman and David Beckworth discuss how dollar stablecoins could shape the dollar’s global role and compete with central bank digital currencies. Their conversation covers access to Federal Reserve payment infrastructure, tokenized reserves and Treasury securities, and how banks and new payment providers might adapt to a more digital financial system.

Recorded during Day 1 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 22, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

SPEAKERS
Sam Lyman — Head of Research, Bitcoin Policy Institute; moderator
David Beckworth — Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center

LEARN MORE
Freedom Tech DC: https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit
Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/
Sam Lyman — BPI: https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/sam-lyman
David Beckworth — Mercatus Center: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/david-beckworth

FOLLOW ON X
Sam Lyman: @SamLyman33 — https://x.com/SamLyman33
David Beckworth: @DavidBeckworth — https://x.com/DavidBeckworth
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy

SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg

ABOUT BPI
The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.

#FreedomTechDC #BitcoinPolicyInstitute #Stablecoins #DollarDominance #Tokenization #DigitalPayments