

POLITICO Tech
POLITICO
The POLITICO Tech podcast is your download on the disruption that technology is bringing to politics and policy. New episodes on Thursdays.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 27, 2023 • 26min
Why fighting deepfakes in the 2024 election is…complicated
Matt Perault and Scott Babwah Breenen from University of North Carolina's Center on Technology Policy discuss the potential problems with and policy fixes for deepfakes in the 2024 election. They propose recommendations like passing voter suppression laws, promoting digital literacy, flooding the zone with factual content, and providing guidance for political advertisers on bias mitigation. They emphasize the importance of policy experimentation, addressing issues like voter suppression, bias in advertising, and poor digital literacy rather than regulating technology itself.

Nov 22, 2023 • 20min
Rebroadcast: Rep. Ted Lieu on what he wants to see from Congress AI regulation
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Ca) is one of the few members of Congress with a background in computer science. But in this rebroadcast from September, he tells Steven Overly why he believes lawmakers don’t need tech expertise to regulate AI.
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Nov 21, 2023 • 19min
Rebroadcast: This tech exec has a plan to rein in AI
Former President Barack Obama recently published a short list of articles, podcasts and books that have shaped his views on AI. And among them is a book that was published in September called, “The Coming Wave,” written by Mustafa Suleyman, the co-founder of Google DeepMind and current CEO of Inflection AI. In this rebroadcast from September, Steven Overly talks with Mustafa Suleyman, the chief executive of Inflection AI and a co-founder of Google DeepMind, who argues there are 10 steps that governments and companies should take to mitigate the most destructive threats posed by artificial intelligence.
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Nov 20, 2023 • 20min
Rebroadcast: Justine Bateman says the AI apocalypse is coming for Hollywood
The writers and actor's strikes may be over, but many of the issues at the center of the strike — including AI — remain ongoing. In this rebroadcast from August, Steven Overly talks with filmmaker Justine Bateman, who predicts expects artificial intelligence will be the harbinger of the end of movies and television as we know it.
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Nov 17, 2023 • 16min
One public affairs firm rides the AI ‘roller coaster’
Andrea Christianson, Partner at Penta Group, embraces generative AI in the public affairs firm. The podcast discusses the risks and rewards of AI, exploring its potential in analyzing partnerships and polling. It highlights the limitations of AI, emphasizing the need for caution and verification. Lastly, it explores the importance of engaging with AI and creating efficiency in the industry.

Nov 16, 2023 • 13min
K Street is taking AI lobbying to the bank
Lobbying on AI is booming on K Street, with influencers around Washington selling themselves as AI experts who can help companies navigate how Congress and the Biden administration will tackle the hot topic in town. Hailey Fuchs talks with host Steven Overly.
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Nov 15, 2023 • 18min
Inside Michelle Donelan’s British tech invasion
U.K. tech secretary Michelle Donelan makes a return visit to POLITICO Tech, this time during a U.S. visit that includes stops in Washington, Seattle and San Francisco. She tells host Steven Overly how the U.S. and U.K. will join forces to combat the risks of artificial intelligence, and offers advice for U.S. policymakers on both AI and online safety.
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Nov 14, 2023 • 18min
The tech issues that matter as Biden, Xi prepare to meet
President Biden is slated to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday in San Francisco. It’s their first face-to-face meeting in a year, and comes amid ever-escalating tensions over tech issues like AI and microchips. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly asks Xiaomeng Lu of the Eurasia Group to outline expectations for the meeting -- and whether major resolutions are likely.
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Nov 13, 2023 • 14min
Google’s general counsel on AI and legal liability
Google sued on Monday to stop unidentified scammers from using a fake version of its AI chatbot to spread malware. The company sees the case as an example of how it protects consumers. But the liability that Google will assume? That’s another matter. On POLITICO Tech, Google general counsel Halimah DeLaine Prado joins host Steven Overly to talk about AI and legal responsibility.
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Nov 10, 2023 • 21min
How hackers are exploiting the Israel-Hamas war
In the hours after Hamas waged its deadly Oct. 7th assault on Israel, the country came under a different type of attack: cyber attacks. On POLITICO Tech, Atlantic Council security research fellow Ruslan Trad explains why the barrage of hackers targeting Israel is different from past conflicts -- and what they seem to really want.
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