109 episodes

Technology has become increasingly important to policy debates, but these debates won’t be productive without an understanding of how the technology in question works. AEI Visiting Fellow Shane Tews interviews tech industry experts to explain how the apps, services, and structures of today's information technology systems work, and how they shape our social and economic life.

Explain to Shane AEI Podcasts

    • Technology
    • 5.0 • 17 Ratings

Technology has become increasingly important to policy debates, but these debates won’t be productive without an understanding of how the technology in question works. AEI Visiting Fellow Shane Tews interviews tech industry experts to explain how the apps, services, and structures of today's information technology systems work, and how they shape our social and economic life.

    Renewing the Partnership Between Government and Entrepreneurs (With Arun Gupta)

    Renewing the Partnership Between Government and Entrepreneurs (With Arun Gupta)

    Our government grapples with challenges that demand quick solutions and decisive action. However, the government structure often lacks the necessary incentives to drive innovation. This is where Arun Gupta comes in, emphasizing the importance of a renewed partnership between government and entrepreneurs to tackle major societal issues.
    Arun is the author of Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society. He is also CEO of NobleReach Foundation, a venture capitalist, a lecturer at Stanford University, and an adjunct entrepreneurship professor and senior advisor to the provost at Georgetown University.
    Tune in as Arun shares insights from his book and discusses the intersection of government, entrepreneurship, and academia.

    • 32 min
    Unpacking the Data Dilemma

    Unpacking the Data Dilemma

    As the US pushes for a TikTok ban and the EU leads the way in data privacy regulation, experts warn that overly restrictive policies might inadvertently stifle innovation and economic growth. But how do we strike the right balance? What role does data play in shaping our society? How do we categorize and classify the information we generate daily? And what challenges do policymakers face in regulating data?
    In this timely episode of "Explain to Shane," we dive into the critical intersection of data and society. Shane interviews Cristina Alaimo and Jannis Kallinikos, co-authors of DATA RULES: Reinventing the Market Economy. Cristina is an Assistant Professor in Digital Economy and Society at LUISS University, in Rome, Italy and Jannis is a Full Professor of Information Systems at LUISS Business School.

    • 35 min
    Busting Tech Myths (with Robert Atkinson and David Moschella)

    Busting Tech Myths (with Robert Atkinson and David Moschella)

    Is technology really addictive, or is that just another myth? What hidden benefits of AI are we overlooking? And how will the landscape of innovation shift as lawmakers tighten the reins of regulation?
    In this episode, Shane interviews Robert Atkinson and David Moschella, co-authors of Technology Fears and Scapegoats: 40 Myths About Privacy, Jobs, AI, and Today's Innovation Economy. Robert is president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and author of numerous books on innovation economics and technology. David is a nonresident senior fellow at ITIF. Before joining ITIF, he was a research fellow at Leading Edge Forum where he explored digital technologies’ impact on business.
    Tune in as we dispel leading, and sometimes harmful, myths about technology today.

    • 37 min
    Securing the Web with Route Origin Authorizations (with Grace Abuhamad and Robert Cannon)

    Securing the Web with Route Origin Authorizations (with Grace Abuhamad and Robert Cannon)

    NTIA is championing Route Origin Authorizations or ROA’s as part of the Biden Administration’s cybersecurity plan to fend off nation-state hackers and cyberattacks.
    In tandem with this effort, on June 6, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) advanced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking aimed at strengthening internet security through the implementation of border gateway protocols (BGPs) for internet service providers (ISPs). While the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) already encourages federal agencies to embrace these routing security protocols, the FCC's proposed rule would mandate broadband providers to submit confidential reports on their BGP usage.
    This move is an effort to defend against cyber-attacks by validating the legitimacy of websites and securing web traffic, preventing hackers from spoofing government domains, stealing data, and hijacking critical communications.
    Here to discuss the policy behind this decision, including routing security, BGPs, and efforts to secure government infrastructure, are Grace Abuhamad and Robert (Bob) Cannon. Grace is the chief of staff at the NTIA, where she previously served as a policy analyst in the Office of International Affairs. Bob is a Senior Telecommunications Policy Analyst at the NTIA. Before joining NTIA, he was a Senior Attorney at the FCC's Office of Policy Analysis.

    • 37 min
    Inside Tech's $2 Trillion Technical Debt (with Ken Silva)

    Inside Tech's $2 Trillion Technical Debt (with Ken Silva)

    Outdated systems, sloppy code, and years of quick fixes have created a growing issue of "technical debt" in businesses. This unseen threat poses security risks, slows innovation, and leaves companies running on inefficient systems. Technical debt costs the US an estimated $2.41 trillion annually, with a whopping $1.52 trillion needed just to address the backlog. As businesses prioritize new features over fixing deep-rooted problems, the issues keep piling up, creating deeper vulnerabilities in legacy systems.
    Joining me today on Explain to Shane is Ken Silva, a renowned industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in tech, cybersecurity, and telecommunications businesses. He is well known for the work he has done as a chief technology officer and as a chief security officer for multiple tech companies.
    Tune in as we explore the hidden price of technical debt.

    • 31 min
    Borderless Banking: How Crypto Cuts Through Red Tape (with Candace Kelly)

    Borderless Banking: How Crypto Cuts Through Red Tape (with Candace Kelly)

    As the world becomes increasingly interconnected economically, blockchain-based financial networks offer new solutions for facilitating seamless international trade, remittances, and humanitarian aid. What specific advantages do blockchain-based financial networks offer over traditional systems? As global economic interconnectivity increases, what role can blockchain technology play in developing a more robust and efficient infrastructure for cross-border payments?
    Shane interviews Candace Kelly, Chief Legal Officer of the Stellar Development Foundation, on the latest episode of Explain to Shane. They discuss how blockchain-based payment networks like Stellar are poised to step in and facilitate cross-border transactions when traditional banking falters.

    • 30 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
17 Ratings

17 Ratings

Jennifer Gore ,

Shane is the ‘All Things Internet’ subject matter expert

Listen and subscribe to Shane’s podcast understand the current and forthcoming Hot Topics within the Internet Industry. It will be well worth your time - great podcast!

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