The Tech Policy Press Podcast

Tech journalist Chris Stokel-Walker discusses AI, from its history to future implications. Topics include the rise of transformer models, AI disinformation, copyright dilemmas in AI training, and navigating tech regulation. Insightful and engaging conversation on the impact of AI on society.

Dr. Jasmine McNealy discusses the importance of developing policies for 'Rural AI' with a focus on connectivity, algorithm bias, and managing natural resources. Guests highlight the need for inclusive policies, broadband connectivity, data ownership, water resource management, and global perspectives on rural AI challenges.

Chinmayi Sharma, an Associate Professor at Fordham Law School, discusses the need for a professional ethics framework for AI developers similar to the Hippocratic oath in medicine. Topics include legal frameworks, ethical dilemmas in AI decision-making, professionalizing AI engineers, national security implications of the AGI race, and risks of professionalization in various fields.

Disinformation experts discuss the term's overuse in political discourse, cautioning against hyping its effects. They delve into the risks of exaggerating disinformation, which aids propagandists and diminishes trust. Topics include scaling back alarmist narratives on foreign disinformation, navigating exaggerated influence operation claims, and the impact of social media disinformation on public trust. The conversation explores historical instances of hacking, digital authoritarianism, foreign aid to Ukraine, and nuances of reporting on potentially foreign-originated information.

The podcast discusses the constraints on discourse in mainstream computer science publications related to AI and power. They delve into AI safety culture, the potential of artificial general intelligence for utopia, and debunking robot rights. Authors highlight the importance of critiquing power dynamics and ideologies in AI research, advocating for a diverse approach in shaping the future of AI governance and policy-making.

Law professor, Anupam Chander, discusses the implications of US policy changes on TikTok, potential legal battles, global tech regulations, internet governance, national security risks, foreign investments, data privacy issues, and the challenges faced by the US government in defending its actions.

David Brody, managing attorney of the Digital Justice Initiative of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, discusses the challenges of advancing the American Privacy Rights Act. He connects data privacy rights to voting rights and combating disinformation targeting communities of color. The podcast delves into legislative solutions, federal privacy regulations, and the intersection of privacy, technology, and racial justice.

PhD candidate Sayash Kapoor and society lead Rishi Bommasani discuss societal impacts of open foundation models. They delve into the spectrum of openness in AI models, mitigating risks, transparency in model development, NTIA's comment process, and challenges for independent researchers accessing social media data. They also touch upon transatlantic relations, focusing on trade and technology council meetings and future uncertainties.

Last week, a federal judge granted a motion to dismiss and strike a lawsuit brought by X Corp, formerly known as Twitter, against a nonprofit research outfit called The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH).  To learn more about why the ruling matters, Justin Hendrix spoke to Alex Abdo, the litigation director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University; Imran Ahmed, the CEO and founder of the Center for Countering Digital Hate; and Roberta Kaplan, a partner at the law firm of Kaplan, Hecker, and Fink, which represented CCDH in this matter. 

On this show, when we talk about technology and democracy, guests are often talking about the relationship between technology and existing democratic systems. Today's guest wants us to think more expansively about what doing democracy means and the role the technology can play in it. Nathan Schneider, an assistant professor of media studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, is the author of Governable Spaces: Democratic Design for Online Life.