The AI Policy Podcast

4.9 (56)
Tech News
Updated Biweekly

Join CSIS’s Aalok Mehta, Director of the Wadhwani AI Center, on a deep dive into the world of AI policy. Every two weeks, tune in for insightful discussions covering AI regulation, economic impacts, national security, geopolitics, and more. CSIS is a bipartisan think tank in Washington, D.C.

1d ago

Bridging the Public-Private Tech Talent Divide with Arun Gupta

In this episode of the AI Policy Podcast, Wadhwani AI Center Director Aalok Mehta is joined by Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach Foundation and experienced venture capitalist, for a discussion on bridging the technology talent gap between the private and public sectors. They will cover the mission and accomplishments of NobleReach, the newly launched US Tech Force and its implications for AI adoption across the federal government, and how AI is reshaping opportunities for the next generation of workers. Arun Gupta is CEO of NobleReach Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young technologists to move between the private and public sectors. He is the co-author of two books, Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society and The Mission Generation: Reclaim Your Purpose, Rewrite Success, Rebuild Our Future. Arun is also a Lecturer at Stanford University and an Adjunct Entrepreneurship Professor and Senior Advisor to the Provost at Georgetown University. This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.

40 min
May 28

Pope Leo Weighs in on AI and Trump Postpones Mythos-Inspired Executive Order

In this episode, Aalok Mehta makes his first appearance as the new host of the AI Policy Podcast. We briefly discuss what listeners can expect in this new chapter of the podcast before diving into Pope Leo XIV's recent encyclical on AI (1:45). We also cover President Trump's postponed executive order on AI and cybersecurity, including what the EO likely contained and why its signing ceremony was ultimately called off (18:09).

31 min
Apr 16

The Next Chapter of the AI Policy Podcast

In this episode, founding host Gregory C. Allen announces his departure from CSIS and introduces Aalok Mehta, Director of the Wadhwani AI Center, as the new host of the AI Policy Podcast.

8 min
Apr 14

Unpacking Russian Military AI with Kateryna Bondar

In this episode, we are joined by Wadhwani AI Center fellow Kateryna Bondar to discuss her recent reports on Russia's military AI, "How Russia Is Building a Sovereign Drone Ecosystem for AI-Driven Autonomy" and "How Russia Is Reshaping Command and Control for AI-Enabled Warfare." We cover Kateryna's background (1:07) before doing a deep dive into the role technological innovation has played in the conflict in Ukraine (7:49). Kateryna then explains why AI capabilities in warfare "cannot be built, can only be grown" (22:24) and unpacks the report's claim that Russia has likely fielded a fully autonomous unmanned system in combat (53:02). Read Kateryna's report on Russia's AI-enabled C2 architecture here. Read her report on Russia's sovereign drone ecosystem here.

1h 15m
Mar 26

Inside Project Maven and AI-Powered Warfare with Katrina Manson

In this special episode, we sit down with Katrina Manson, author of Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare. We explore what drew Katrina to this story (2:31), trace the turbulent history of Project Maven and the obstacles it has overcome (8:03), examine how the U.S. leveraged Maven to support Ukraine against Russia (31:32), and discuss Katrina's latest reporting on Maven's role in the ongoing conflict with Iran (47:40). You can order a copy of Katrina's book here.

1h 1m
Mar 24

Trump's National AI Framework and Super Micro's Chip Smuggling Indictment

In this episode, we unpack President Trump's new national framework for AI legislation (11:15), including reactions from experts and policymakers (39:44). We also discuss the indictment of a Super Micro co-founder for smuggling Nvidia chips into China (42:59) and Nvidia receiving permission to sell H200 chips to China (57:04).

1h 3m
Mar 11

Anthropic Goes to Court While Claude Goes to War in Iran

In this episode, we provide a detailed update on the Anthropic-Pentagon clash, including the Trump Administration's decision to label Anthropic "a supply chain risk" (4:17), the lawsuits Anthropic has filed in response (11:45), and what these lawsuits and recent reporting reveal about how Claude has been used in the war in Iran (43:20).

1h 3m
Mar 6

A Crash Course on AI Standards with Google DeepMind's Owen Larter

In this episode, we're joined by Owen Larter, Head of Frontier Policy and Public Affairs at Google DeepMind, to explore the often-overlooked world of AI standards and the role they play in shaping how AI is developed and governed. We discuss what standards are and why they matter for technological progress (2:53), how standards are developed and the key organizations involved (16:05), the relationship between standards and AI regulation like the EU AI Act (26:58), and more.

39 min

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4.9

out of 5

56 Ratings

A Must-Listen for Anyone Interested in AI Policy and Innovation

08/28/2024

K5SCM

This series is informative and deeply insightful. The discussions blend technical depth and policy analysis, making complex topics accessible to both experts and those new to the field. I enjoy its focus on the intersection of AI, national security, and geopolitic areas that are often overlooked in mainstream AI discussions by covering nuances of AI regulation, innovation, and the global implications of AI advancements and a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape. Gregory curates a variety of perspectives through interviews with industry leaders, policymakers, and academics. This diversity of viewpoints enriches the conversation and gives a well-rounded view of the issues at hand. This is a great resource that will keep you informed and engaged in a highly dynamic and rapidly evolving technology policy domain. Highly recommended. In addition to the excellent content, the episodes are professionally produced and the audio quality is high. Easy and enjoyable listening.
Clear, concise, and enjoyable

01/27/2024

Arubin17

I learn a lot every episode
Incredible Insight

01/25/2024

HA Schwartz

This is the podcast for you if you want to understand and explore the intersection of AI and the policies that govern it.

Join CSIS’s Aalok Mehta, Director of the Wadhwani AI Center, on a deep dive into the world of AI policy. Every two weeks, tune in for insightful discussions covering AI regulation, economic impacts, national security, geopolitics, and more. CSIS is a bipartisan think tank in Washington, D.C.