Technology and Policy (TAP‪)‬ Alex and Ethan

In this episode, Alex and Ethan return after a short hiatus to dive into one of the most fascinating new avenues of technology innovation: the brain-machine, or brain-computer, interface. This is a technology with truly transformative implications,  if lower profile than other emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. In this episode, the science of the technology being developed at Neuralink, an Elon Musk company, is explored and some of the social ramifications are discussed.

This episode primarily explores how brain-machine interfaces change the way humans act with each other. Later episodes will return to human-machine connections and explore the ways humans and machines interact and evolve together.

As always, please send questions and comments to officialpubfo@gmail.com. Part of the PubFo podcast network.

In this episode, Alex and Ethan break from the standard format. This episode is focused on how the field of AI and software development is radically changing. In order to explore these changes, Ethan interviews Alex about what draws software engineers to particular places and companies, and how those factors may be shifting in the Trump administration and a post-coronavirus world. Alex and Ethan explore what makes a Silicon Valley, whether hubs like that will continue to exist in the future, and how the U.S. became so dominant in technology. In exploring the last question, they dive into the patterns of AI talent migration across the world, focusing on the major trend that is the brain drain from the rest of the world, especially China, into the U.S. Alex and Ethan explore what historically has caused such a trend, and how those causes are starting to decay in the present day, leading to a decline in the brain drain. They close out by exploring the differing models of AI human capital development in the U.S., China, and the EU, finishing with a consideration of what comes next for the field.

As always, please send questions and comments to officialpubfo@gmail.com.

In this episode, Alex and Ethan finally turn to the big issues of modern technology debate - data regulation. In particular, they focus on an often ignored subset of data collection: the permissions settings on your phone or tablet that many of us simply accept and move on. Every app provides a function to its user, and allowing apps to use the different services on your phone is vital for the range of incredible applications we now have access to, with our lives immeasurably improved by the existence of such functions. When we think of applications, we primarily think of their benefits. In particular, limitations on a application permissions is often framed in terms of what we are giving up - if we remove location services, then we lose Uber forever. However, as beneficial as giving permission to apps to use the full suite of phone services is, we need to at least spend some time considering what it is exactly that we are giving up, and most importantly, what other options are there? Is the current permission paradigm all we have? Alex and Ethan explore all these questions and more, diving into the intersection of applications, phone services, terms of service, and data regulation.

Email tech or policy questions to officialpubfo@gmail.com.

Part of the PubFo podcast network.

In this episode, Alex and Ethan return to where the podcast started - space. Here they deal with one of the most interesting, and potentially the most economically impactful, aspect of space travel. Asteroid mining is propelling a new gold rush of private firms and public capital, all racing to unlock the riches in the sky. However, is asteroid mining perhaps too similar to the gold rush? Will the first trillionaires be asteroid miners, or is it simply another place to get resources? And even if you decided to mine asteroids, where are they and how do you do it? All these questions and more are explored in this episode, where Alex and Ethan dive deep into the economics and technology behind asteroid mining.

Send any questions or comments to officialpubfo@gmail.com.

Part of the PubFo podcast network.

In this episode, Alex and Ethan explore the incredible possibilities of cryonics - the process of vitrifying your body in order to be revived at a later date. They explore whether it is science fiction or science fact, and what it means for our society if we fully accept the logic of cryonics.

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Part of the PubFo podcast network.

This episode was recorded shortly after the beginning of the massive Black Lives Matter protest movement in the United States following the killing of George Floyd. In respect for the political moment, in this episode Alex and Ethan deal with the intersection of the criminal justice system and technology. As algorithmic tools are used more and more in the administration of justice, are they solving systemic problems - or perpetuating them?

Email us at officialpubfo@gmail.com.

Part of the PubFo podcast network.