POLITICO Tech

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

Tech News
Politics
Daily News
351
How the FTC is reinventing itself for the digit...
On the show today, Mohar Chatterjee talks with Sam Levine, director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection and one of the key people on the front-lines of defining market practices for big tech.
18 min
352
Confessions of Congress's former tech crusader
Former Rep. David Cicilline formed an unlikely alliance with Republican Ken Buck in a failed bid to break up big tech companies. Though he has since left Congress, Cicilline’s distrust of the industry hasn’t diminished. On POLITICO Tech, he reflects on what he and Buck started, and the rising pressure on his former colleagues to curb tech’s power.
18 min
353
The Hugging Face case for open AI
Clem Delangue says open-source AI was vital to starting his company, Hugging Face. Now, he finds himself defending open AI models as Washington considers new regulations. On POLITICO Tech, Delangue explains why he views open-source AI as not only safe, but necessary to prevent big tech companies from gaining more market power.
18 min
354
Inside U.K. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Silicon Va...
U.K. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has a goal to make the U.K. become a tech hub on par with San Francisco. And he sees the country’s bench of artificial intelligence companies and researchers as key to helping it get there. Host Steven Overly talked with Hunt as he kicks off a multi-day visit to the West Coast… a charm offensive he hopes will draw U.S. firms closer to the U.K.
15 min
355
The EU's tech rules are here. But how strict wi...
The European Union has been ahead of most of the world when it comes to regulating the tech industry - but writing the rules is not the same as enforcing them. POLITICO’s Clothilde Goujard joins Steven Overly to discuss what’s at stake for companies and regulators alike as the EU’s much-anticipated laws come into effect.
17 min
356
How to confront the 'AI dilemma'
Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin have been pushing for changes to social media companies' business models for years. Now, they're doing the same with AI. On POLITICO Tech, the co-founders of the Center for Humane Technology tell Steven Overly why Washington will need to speed up if it hopes to effectively keep AI's risks in check.
25 min
357
How tech fits into Rep. Mike Gallagher’s China ...
What would war with China be like? Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) has put that question to defense and finance experts. Now, he says it would be “useful” to game out that scenario with tech companies as well. On today’s POLITICO Tech, Gallagher argues that imposing tougher restrictions on business with China’s tech sector today would make a difference should conflict ever become reality.
22 min
358
AI can now create art and write books. Copyrigh...
The number of creators seeking legal protections for AI-generated work is rising — and that’s vexing copyright officials. Exactly how much human creativity must art and literature contain under the law? On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly takes that question and others to Shira Perlmutter, the director of the U.S. Copyright Office.
18 min
359
What Microsoft’s Brad Smith wants from Schumer ...
Microsoft President Brad Smith is among the tech leaders joining the Senate's big AI forum today. On POLITICO Tech, Smith tells Steven Overly what new AI rules Microsoft is calling on Congress to impose -- and why he thinks others in the regulation-averse tech industry should get on board.
23 min
360
Google’s legal saga is only just beginning
The largest tech antitrust case in nearly 25 years begins today as the Justice Department takes on Google over the dominance of its search business. POLITICO’s Josh Sisco joins today’s episode to tell Steven Overly what to expect from the multi-month saga and why it’s just the start of a longer legal war with Big Tech.
12 min
361
The House is back — what's on its tech agenda?
On today's episode, POLITICO reporters Rebecca Kern and Brendan Bordelon join Steven Overly to break down what to expect from the House this fall on AI, quantum computing, online safety, TikTok and more.
18 min
362
Labor unions see an upside to AI — under the ri...
Workers are increasingly anxious about how companies use artificial intelligence -- just look at the actors and writers striking in Hollywood. But the labor movement isn’t actually against the emerging technology. On POLITICO Tech, the AFL-CIO’s Amanda Ballantyne tells Steven Overly that policies just need to be in place to ensure AI isn’t against workers.
17 min
363
Rep. Ted Lieu on what he wants to see from Cong...
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Ca) is one of the few members of Congress with a background in computer science. But lawmakers don’t need tech expertise to regulate AI, he tells Steven Overly.
21 min
364
This tech exec has a plan to rein in AI
Mustafa Suleyman, the chief executive of Inflection AI and a co-founder of Google DeepMind, argues there are 10 steps that governments and companies should take to mitigate the most destructive threats posed by artificial intelligence.
19 min
365
The Senate's back — here's what's on its tech a...
There will be a lot of chatter about artificial intelligence in the Senate this fall. But will that lead to any action? On today's episode, POLITICO reporters Rebecca Kern and Brendan Bordelon join Steven Overly to break down what to expect from the Senate this fall on AI, online safety, TikTok and more.
16 min
366
'I thought somebody had shown me an alien' - Co...
Simon Rich did not believe artificial intelligence could ever take his job as a screenwriter, humorist and novelist. Then, a friend at OpenAI showed him an AI model that stunned him — one that was more creative and more problematic than ChatGPT. On POLITICO Tech, Rich tells Steven Overly why he now feels a need to alert others about the possible future AI will wrought.
22 min
367
California on a collision course over autonomou...
California has become the epicenter of a political fight over the future of self-driving cars. Tensions between labor unions and industry groups over the technology are running high in San Francisco and Sacramento. On POLITICO Tech, Steven Overly talks with California politics reporter Jeremy White about where this tussle is headed and why the state's tech-friendly governor has entered the mix.
19 min
368
Education’s AI future has schools shook
Generative AI programs like ChatGPT have rocked schools across the country and given rise to a new wave of cheating scandals. But as teachers return to the classroom, some see reason to embrace the technology as a new learning tool. On POLITICO Tech, we talk to Principal Kip Glazer about navigating that tricky balance at a high school in the heart of Silicon Valley.
18 min
369
What Google wants from Washington on AI
Google’s Kent Walker was among the tech executives who signed last month’s White House AI safety pledge. On POLITICO Tech, he tells Steven Overly why he wants to see it become a global model, and why some of AI’s legal risks are still unclear.
16 min
370
One tech's bold idea: AI is the new atomic ener...
Charles Jennings ran software companies for decades. The last one developed AI-powered facial recognition technology. But now he argues the most sophisticated artificial intelligence systems are too powerful to be left in private hands. On today’s POLITICO Tech, Jennings tells Steven Overly why the government should take over.
18 min
371
Meet the anti-hate group agitating Elon Musk an...
The Center for Countering Digital Hate tracks hate speech and harmful content across social media platforms like TikTok and X. And in recent weeks, the tiny organization has drawn heat from Elon Musk and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan for its work. On today’s POLITICO Tech, CEO Imran Ahmed tells Steven Overly how his organization is now responding by “setting a few” fires of its own.
15 min
372
Washington asked for hackers’ help. What happen...
DC went all out for a major hacking convention this week. On today’s POLITICO Tech, Steven Overly and Mohar Chatterjee discuss the unconventional but necessary alliance between the federal government and the hacking community, and what to expect next.
19 min
373
This Republican fought tech market power and lo...
Republican Congressman Ken Buck pushed for legislation to challenge the market dominance of companies like Google and Amazon. Many of those bills fell short. On today's POLITICO Tech, Buck tells Steven Overly how he is “laying the groundwork” for a future fight while shifting focus to more viable issues, including artificial intelligence.
19 min
374
Inside Trudeau’s standoff with Big Tech
Canada’s Liberal government picked a fight with two U.S. tech giants by passing legislation forcing Meta and Google to pay news publishers for content. But the battle hasn’t gone quite as expected. Steven Overly talks with Politico Canada reporter Kyle Duggan about Canada's stalemate with Meta and Google.
15 min
375
Affirmative action critics come for the tech in...
The Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action has prompted conservatives to target corporate diversity programs. On their list are the biggest companies in tech, an industry that has long struggled to hire a diverse workforce. On today's POLITICO Tech, Steven Overly talks with Brookings Institution expert Nicol Turner Lee about the potential consequences — for the companies and for their users.
14 min