John Kiriakou, former CIA officer and whistleblower against the agency’s torture program, discusses his extensive background in intelligence, the evolving role of technology and AI in intelligence operations, and the balance between privacy and national security. John details his experience with the CIA’s torture program post-9/11, and the consequences he’s faced for exposing these practices.

Key Takeaways:

How targeted intelligence can succeed without mass surveillance, and how national security doesn’t need to mean sacrificing individual privacy
The evolution of drone warfare in military options, and how its crossed moral lines
The dangers posed by AI in intelligence, and the need for ethical considerations in the application of AI
The current state of the US Patriot Act, and the implications of technology in media

Guest Bio: John Kiriakou is a former CIA officer, former senior investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former counterterrorism consultant for ABC News. He was responsible for the capture in Pakistan in 2002 of Abu Zubaydah, believed to be the third-ranking official in al-Qaeda. In 2007, Kiriakou exposed the CIA’s torture program, saying that the CIA tortured prisoners, had become official U.S. government policy, and that this policy had been approved by then-President George W. Bush. He became the sixth whistleblower indicted by the Obama administration under the Espionage Act—a law designed to punish spies—and served 23 months in prison as a result. Kiriakou is the author of eight books, including The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA’s War on Terror; Doing Time Like a Spy: How the CIA Taught Me to Survive and Thrive in Prison; and The Convenient Terrorist: Abu Zubaydah and the Weird Wonderland of America’s Secret Wars.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

The reluctant spy

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