POLITICO Tech

POLITICO Audio

Introducing POLITICO Tech, an authoritative insider briefing on the politics and policy of technology. From crypto and the metaverse to cybersecurity and AI, we explore the who, what and how of policy shaping future industries. We’re kicking off with a series exploring darknet marketplaces, the virtual platforms that enable actors from all corners of the online world to traffic illicit goods. As malware and cybercrime attacks become increasingly frequent, regulators and law enforcement agencies work different angles to shut these platforms down, but new, often more unassailable marketplaces pop up.

  • 16 minutes 9 seconds
    Sen. Todd Young delves into the new AI roadmap

    The roll out this week of the Senate’s artificial intelligence policy roadmap was about as close to bipartisanship as Washington gets these days. But can it last? Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), one of the roadmap’s four co-authors, joins host Steven Overly to discuss what’s next as lawmakers look to pass actual legislation, and political divisions begin to emerge.

    17 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 15 minutes 14 seconds
    Two unlikely states tried to rein in AI. Then came the tech lobbyists

    Colorado and Connecticut attempted to become the first states to regulate artificial intelligence but faced significant pushback from the tech industry. In Connecticut, the governor then threatened to veto the legislation. And in Colorado, the governor is under pressure to do the same. Mallory Culhane, author of POLITICO's Morning Tech newsletter, joins host Steven Overly to discuss the fate of Colorado's AI legislation and whether other states will follow similar approaches to AI regulation.

    16 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 24 minutes 29 seconds
    Chuck Schumer just fired the Senate’s AI starting gun

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s AI policy roadmap is out this morning. The bipartisan report, co-authored with Sens. Martin Heinrich, Todd Young and Mike Rounds, calls for big bucks for AI research, and legislation in areas like workforce training. It’s expected to kick off a flurry of legislative action in the Senate, even as the election rapidly approaches. Reggie Babin, an attorney and lobbyist at Akin, worked as Schumer’s chief counsel until 2022. He joins POLITICO Tech host Steven Overly to break down the impact of the new AI roadmap.

    15 May 2024, 10:00 am
  • 15 minutes 43 seconds
    What Biden’s ‘next chapter’ of AI looks like

    When President Joe Biden talks about artificial intelligence, he’ll often refer to the technology’s “promise and peril.” Yet much of his AI agenda to date has focused on the latter. Now, the White House is shifting focus to the “aspirational” uses of AI -- a change in tone that could be complicated by the perils that remain. On POLITICO Tech, Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Arati Prabhakar tells Steven Overly about Biden’s plan to “start shaping the next chapter” of AI focused on its upsides.

    14 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 14 minutes 7 seconds
    Big dreams, small budget. NSF's director on funding AI research

    President Biden’s signature CHIPS and Science Act promised the National Science Foundation a budget boost of $81 billion over five years. But so far, Congress hasn’t come through with the money. That has Sethuraman Panchanathan, the director of the NSF, persuading lawmakers to loosen the national purse strings, while in the meantime, cobbling together money from the NSF’s shrinking budget and the private sector to fund AI research projects. Steven Overly talked with "Panch" for today's episode of Politico Tech.

    13 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 21 minutes 29 seconds
    How the US beats China on AI

    The relationship between Washington and the tech industry has gone through no shortage of ups and downs over the years, but things were all smiles earlier this week at an AI expo hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project. The CEO of that group, Ylli Bajraktari, talked to host Steven Overly about the Washington-Silicon Valley divide and why collaboration between industry and government is the only way he sees the U.S. beating China on AI.

    10 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 26 minutes 29 seconds
    Van Jones and Arun Gupta on the new AI civilization

    CNN contributor and Dream Machine founder Van Jones met NobleReach Foundation CEO Arun Gupta at a tech festival. It turned out they’re both AI optimists, and think all the doom and gloom about the technology belies its larger benefits. On a live taping of POLITICO Tech, they join host Steven Overly to make the case for more communities to embrace — not fear — AI and for tech workers to enter public service.

    9 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 15 minutes 59 seconds
    How TikTok’s algorithm really handled the Israel-Gaza war

    TikTok has long faced criticism for suspected ties to the Chinese government. But since the start of the war, U.S. officials have also accused the app of amplifying posts that are sympathetic to Hamas and damaging to Israel. But data from the app tells a more complex story. POLITICO reporter Mark Scott worked with Northeastern University researcher Laura Edelson to analyze some 350,000 TikTok posts about the war, and on today’s show, Mark explains their findings to host Steven Overly — and what the analysis reveals about TikTok’s response to a growing political crisis. 

    8 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 16 minutes 37 seconds
    How AI will upend non-elite universities, according to Coursera’s CEO

    Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda says AI is transforming education -- both how it’s delivered and what people are studying. On today's Politico Tech, Jeff’s case to host Steven Overly for why higher education needs an AI overhaul, and how he uses AI to help decide Coursera’s business strategy.

     

    7 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 14 minutes 36 seconds
    What losing TikTok could mean for online culture

    There’s a legal battle brewing between TikTok and the federal government. But how anxious are US companies about losing one of the newest and frankly most exciting social media outlets in years? Rachel Karten had that question, too. She’s a social media consultant for brands like Cava and West Elm, and author of a Substack called Link in Bio, a  newsletter about the business of social media. She spoke with host Steven Overly to talk about what she's hearing from brands and what losing TikTok could mean for online culture and commerce.

    6 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • 17 minutes 17 seconds
    R U there? Plz donate 2 my campaign ASAP

    Right now, there’s probably a political candidate in your inbox asking for donations. Online fundraising has taken off in recent election cycles, and it’s now how many Washington hopefuls raise big bucks. On POLITICO Tech, reporter Jessica Piper joins host Steven Overly to talk about how digital platforms have changed the fundraising game. 

    3 May 2024, 9:00 am
  • More Episodes? Get the App
© MoonFM 2024. All rights reserved.