Decoded by POLITICO

Donald Trump will be the next president. But so much in tech policy depends on which party controls Congress. And last night, Republicans also took control of the Senate. That has big implications for policy debates over issues like artificial intelligence, data privacy and cryptocurrency. POLITICO Tech host Steven Overly and reporter Brendan Bordelon discuss what this new balance of power in Washington means for Silicon Valley.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There will be many races to watch as election results pour in tonight. That includes the competition among news outlets to one-up each other with splashy new technology. After all, it’s an Election Night tradition. POLITICO Tech host Steven Overly chats with CNN senior product director Manav Tanneeru about the network’s “Magic Wall” app, and then Aspen Digital executive director Vivian Schiller explains why journalists should keep it simple.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Election Day is nearly upon us. (Finally!) But any uncertainty over the outcome is sure to turbocharge disinformation from foreign adversaries and fellow Americans alike. Ginny Badanes leads the Democracy Forward program at Microsoft, which aims to defend campaigns and election administrators against operations from Russia, China and Iran. On POLITICO Tech, Badanes tells host Steven Overly how Microsoft is bracing for the critical days ahead.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Election Commission faced a big question this election cycle: Should political candidates be banned from making AI-generated deepfakes of their opponents? POLITICO Tech host Steven Overly attended the GovAI Summit this week for a live interview with Democratic FEC Commissioner Shana Broussard to discuss the agency’s recent decision, as well as AI disclaimers, social media influencers and the Elon Musk “smell test.”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The nature of war is changing. $10 million tanks in Ukraine are being disabled by $10,000 drones — and many cutting-edge battlefield technologies today come from private companies rather than governments.

Few people know more about harnessing commercial tech for the military than Raj Shah, who led the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit before founding his own venture capital firm. Now he’s on the board of the NATO Innovation Fund. On the show today, he speaks with POLITICO deputy tech editor Daniella Cheslow to talk about how to translate leading technology to the battlefield.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Data firms are hoovering up all sorts of information about us, and then selling it to political campaigns and advocacy groups. But one of these data collectors is using that information to extrapolate whether voters might believe QAnon conspiracies or support Jan. 6 insurrectionists — raising concerns about more than just privacy. POLITICO reporter Alfred Ng joins host Steven Overly to talk about the controversial voter database.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk’s $1 million giveaways for swing-state voters have drawn scrutiny from federal and state law enforcement, though Musk denies the money is intended to drive voter registration. On POLITICO Tech, David Becker from the Center for Election Innovation and Research tells host Steven Overly why he thinks Musk is flouting the law, and how his political engagement both fits the mold and breaks new ground when it comes to billionaires on the campaign trail.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Election Day is (inescapably) just over a week away. But in its waning months, the Biden administration is still cranking out policy. In particular, President Biden put out guidelines late last week detailing how national security agencies should handle artificial intelligence, and stay ahead of China in the global race for the AI future. On today's show, POLITICO tech reporter Mohar Chatterjee breaks down what exactly Biden's new memo calls for, and what challenges it creates for the next president.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The combination of rising energy demands and fears about climate change is fueling fresh interest in nuclear energy, and the movement is getting a boost from Big Tech. But the return to nuclear power is not just a U.S. phenomenon. In Italy, a new generation of climate conscious young people is shaking up the debate — spurred in part by an unlikely social media influencer. On POLITICO Tech, climate reporter Federica Di Sario joins host Steven Overly to introduce the Atomic Advocate.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you apply for a job, AI is often part of the process whether you know it or not. With technology making more employment decisions, there are real questions about discrimination happening faster and more frequently, and who is to blame when it does. Keith Sonderling, who spent the past four years as a Republican commissioner from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission tells host Steven Overly that the answers actually lie in existing employment laws, the ones written some 60 years ago.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices