Scott Babwah Brennen

Keir Lamont, senior director at the Future of Privacy Forum, Caitriona Fitzgerald from EPIC, and Scott Babwah Brennen of NYU delve into the shifting tech policy landscape as states gear up for 2025. They discuss a surge in state-level tech regulations, notably over 100 new laws on AI. The experts analyze privacy advancements, contrasting states like Maryland and California. They also explore evolving youth online safety legislation and the increasing bipartisan momentum for smartphone bans in classrooms, highlighting a unique intersection of politics and technology.

In this discussion, Samuel Woolley, an expert on disinformation, highlights the challenges generative AI poses to democratic processes. Lindsay Gorman reveals how deepfakes can manipulate electoral narratives and the global implications. Scott Babwah Brennen emphasizes the need for effective AI content labels in political ads to maintain candidate trust. The conversation addresses regulatory hurdles and the urgent necessity for policies to combat the misuse of AI, especially as elections approach, pointing towards a future where misinformation could be even more pervasive.

Scott Babwah Brennen, Director of the Center on Technology Policy at NYU, leads research on AI's role in political advertising. He dives into a striking study where AI disclaimers in political ads surprisingly undermine candidates' credibility. The conversation explores how these ads challenge public trust and the implications of misleading information. Brennen advocates for better regulations to improve transparency and labeling, highlighting AI's subtle yet impactful effects on voter perception and political engagement.