Tech'ed Up

Adjunct Fellow at CNAS and Founder of Tech Policy Solutions, Pablo Chavez joins Niki in the studio to explain digital solidarity and digital sovereignty, swap campaign convention memories, and discuss US policy when it comes to the global internet. They talk State Dept. footnotes, the TikTok ban, and the future of the open internet. 

“ ...the United States, increasingly as a matter of foreign policy on digital matters is a little bit in a defensive crouch.” -Pablo Chavez

• Connect with Pablo on LinkedIn
• Nerd out and read the US International Cyberspace & Digital Policy Strategy
• Read Pablo's article on digital solidarity

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

Runway Strategies Co-Founder Dave Barmore joins Niki in the studio for a deep dive into the wave of tech regulations coming from the states. They talk about gridlock at the federal level and why tech needs to pay attention to the states when it comes to pending policy regulations facing AI, data privacy, and social media.

"in terms of bills getting passed and laws regulating tech, whether that's AI, data privacy, social media. Don't sleep on the states." -Dave Barmore

• Follow Dave on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Runway Strategies
• Read more about the Uniform Law Commission

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

Head of Global Public Policy at Discord, Ross LaJeunesse, joins Niki in the studio to talk about how the app delivers today on the original promise of the internet - community and communication. He lays out how Discord fosters genuine servers-based connection, why it’s so important to small game developers, and what regulators should consider when they try to regulate Big Tech. Plus, he reviews just how huge gaming has become globally. 

“Discord is one of those places. It's community, it's belonging, and it's economic opportunity. It's a platform for entrepreneurs, creative entrepreneurs, small businesses.” -Ross LaJeunesse

• Learn more about Discord
• Play Chef Showdown
• Check out the Operation Politics server

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

Crypto Council for Innovation CEO Sheila Warren breaks down crypto, Web3, and blockchain once and for all. She and Niki discuss crypto’s future on Capitol Hill and how it might impact this election season, the critical role blockchain has in making AI more transparent, and why you might already have a Web3 mindset. 

“Things like authenticity, tracking, accountability, I think, are becoming even more important than they ever were before.” -Sheila Warren

• Follow Sheila on Twitter 
• Learn more about CCI
• Read the Scientific American Article
• Connect with Sheila on LinkedIn

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

NVIDIA’s Head of AI & Legal Ethics, Nikki Pope, talks about why how we talk about artificial intelligence matters and why making the tech representative of more people is important. She and Niki break down some of the myths surrounding the tech and re-examine what regulators should be focused on when they think of “existential threat” and AI. Spoiler alert - it’s not what Hollywood thinks! 

“...democratization of AI means making sure that we don't leave cultures and languages and communities behind as we all go running breakneck into the future.” -Nikki Pope

• Follow Nikki Pope on LinkedIn
• Read more about Te Hiku Media
• Learn more about NVIDIA’s Trustworthy AI initiative

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

Archer Aviation Founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, joins Niki in the studio to talk about why, after years of flying cars being science fiction, the eVTOL industry is taking off now, how coordination with the FAA is critical to American dominance in the industry, and what the future of travel looks like. He lays out a future in which flying cars will be as accessible as automobiles. 

“...talent and capital are the two advantages that the US has that nowhere else in the world has.” -Adam Goldstein

• Follow Adam on Twitter 
• Check out Usher’s video featuring an eVOTL
• Learn more about Archer

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

Philanthropist and author of ‘Our Biggest Fight’, Frank McCourt sits down with Niki in the studio to lay out his vision for a decentralized internet. He shares why Project Liberty is focused on personhood online instead of data privacy, why a digital bill of rights is not the answer, and shares his optimism for technologists’ ability to build a better digital future. 

 “Let's re-decentralize the Internet so that we put people back in charge.” - Frank McCourt

• Follow Frank on LinkedIn 
• Buy “Our Biggest Fight” here 
• Learn more about Project Liberty

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

Corporate Counsel at Google, Kat Mauler, sits down with Niki in the Tech’ed Up studio to talk about what’s moving fast in tech news. They break down big legislative moves in Congress with the expansion of FISA Section 702 adding extra surveillance remit to the US government, the TikTok divestiture bill dominating the headlines - and why it’s not a ban, and critique the moves of the new Boston Dynamics Atlas robot. 

“I had really thought that one of the most enduring takeaways from our last administration and the presidency would be a distrust for executive power. To see an expansion of executive power is really interesting in this moment. ” - Kat Mauler

• Follow Kat on LinkedIn 
• Catch up on the Bloomberg TikTok coverage
• Learn more about FISA extension in the NYT
• Watch the new Atlas Robot debut video

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

The CEO and Founder of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Imran Ahmed, joins Niki in the studio to talk about what his recent win against Elon Musk means for the proliferation of hate speech online. He and Niki debate who has moral responsibility for online hate but both agree the current climate is untenable.

“CCDH advocates a market regulatory solution to a market regulatory failure.” -Imran Ahmed

• Follow Imran on Twitter 
• Learn more about the CCDH

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn

Corporate Counsel at Google, Kat Mauler, joins Niki for a D.C. insider take on the latest tech headlines. They talk AI’s insatiable appetite for data and the landmark bipartisan data privacy bill making waves this week. Added bonus, zombie attacks in the Terms & Conditions and the sad trombone sounds of Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” tech. 

“You always want tech to move ahead of regulators. If tech moved at the speed of government, we would be much less competitive.” - Kat Mauler

• Follow Kat on LinkedIn 
• Read The Verge article on AI and copyright laws 
• Learn more about the American Data Privacy bill in the WaPo 

• Learn More at www.techedup.com
• Check out video on YouTube
• Follow Niki on LinkedIn