TechTank

By Brookings InstitutionNews Technology Government Politics

TechTank episodes

August 14, 2023 Will Courts Allow Technology to Mitigate Climate Change?
In this episode, co-host Darrell West explores the ramifications of judicial constraints on executive agencies. Joining the conversation is Barry Rabe, a professor of political science and public policy at the University of Michigan and a nonresident senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. Together, they will discuss what the recent court decisions mean for new climate technologies, historical precedents on checks-and-balances, and the US as a leader in global trade and clean energy.
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30 min
July 31, 2023 AI Rules for the Metaverse
The explosive popularity of ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies has allowed the metaverse to escape public attention and regulators’ notice, even as interest, investment, and development in virtual realities has increased worldwide. In this episode of TechTank, co-host Nicol Turner Lee examines the potential pitfalls of a virtual landscape and discusses the urgent need for guardrails with Tom Wheeler, Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of “AI makes rules for the metaverse even more important.” Together, they explore how virtual realities can revolutionize how we engage with each other, while also exacerbating existing concerns and introducing new risks, including discrimination and digital larceny.
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42 min
July 17, 2023 Ways to Protect Children Online
In this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Darrell M. West explores potential paths forward in the
safety of kids online with Matt Perault, a professor at UNC's School of Information and Library Science,
and Scott Brennen, the head of online expression policy at UNC's Center on Technology Policy. As co-
authors of the report "Keeping Kids Safe Online: How Should Policymakers Approach Age Verification",
both scholars will discuss current methods for age verification, consider the key trade-offs for each, and
share informed recommendations for policymakers.
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33 min
July 03, 2023 How to Address Issues of Racial Equity and Justice
On this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Darrell M. West engages in an enlightening
conversation with Dr. Camille Busette, the interim Vice President of Governance Studies at the
Brookings Institution, and Dr. Andre Perry, a senior fellow in the Metro program and Director of
the Valuing Black Assets Initiative. As project co-leads, these esteemed researchers will share
their plans for the new Center and why they believe it will help us address issues of racial equity
and justice.
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46 min
June 19, 2023 Social media and teens: How do they think it impacts them?
In this week’s episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee will be joined by Monica Anderson, director of internet and technology research at the Pew Research Center, Camisha Covington Parker, Dean at Northern Virginia Community College, and Girl Scout leader for Chloe Lee and Camdyn Parker, both high school students, who will share what policymakers and parents should consider when addressing the increasing use and impacts of social media on teens. Together, the guests will delve into a thought-provoking conversation around what policymakers, parents, and communities can do to ensure protections around teens and social media use, and the blind spots of current debates.
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44 min
June 05, 2023 How AI Disrupts Elections and Influences Voter Choices
With the 2024 elections around the corner, political tensions are running high, and there is
considerable concern about how generative AI will affect campaigns and election turnout. This
week, on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West will engage in a conversation on these
crucial matters with Sarah M.L. Bender, an accomplished JD candidate from the University of
Michigan and the author of the article titled "Algorithmic Elections" in the Michigan Law
Review.
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34 min
May 22, 2023 From The TechTank Archives: Twitter, Trump, and Online Speech
From November 28, 2022: In this episode of the podcast, co-host Darrell West speaks to Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in Governance Studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings and Tom Wheeler, a visiting fellow in Governance Studies and the author of a forthcoming Brookings book, “Techlash” about Twitter's future, and the consequences of recent tumultuous changes at the company.
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35 min
May 08, 2023 Bank failures and the tech sector: For better or for worse?
In the last year, bank failures have dominated the news cycle. On this episode of the TechTank podcast,
co-host Nicol Turner Lee will discuss why the technology sector has been particularly sensitive to recent
bank failures, and what the future of banking looks like in the digital age. Joining the TechTank podcast
to help discuss the future of banking is Aaron Klein, who is the Miriam K. Carliner Chair in Economic
Studies and Senior Fellow at the Center on Regulation and Markets at the Brookings Institution.
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51 min
April 24, 2023 Will the U.S. attain a competitive global spectrum strategy?
Consumer demand for wireless services continue to increase in the U.S., prioritizing the need for more licensed and unlicensed spectrum as more services migrate to mobile platforms. On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee sits down with Scott Blake Harris, Senior Spectrum Advisor, Office of the Assistant Secretary, National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) about the forthcoming National Spectrum Strategy.
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47 min
April 10, 2023 Will Generative AI Kill Jobs?
There has been considerable interest in recent months in generative AI that can answer questions, develop videos, write code, and perform many other tasks. On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host, Darrell West, is joined by a distinguished expert, John Villasenor, professor of engineering, law, public policy, and management at UCLA and co-director of its Institute for Technology, Law, and Policy to discuss if generative AI will take jobs. Will it be possible for organizations to use these new tools to automate job tasks and reduce dependence on human labor?
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34 min

About TechTank

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TechTank is a biweekly podcast from The Brookings Institution exploring the most consequential technology issues of our time. From artificial intelligence and racial bias in…