DSR's Siliconsciousness

The midterms are only a few weeks away and, with any luck, Democrats will ride a blue wave back into power. While there are a great many issues to grapple with, none are more pressing or existential than artificial intelligence. So what exactly is the Democrats’ plan to effectively legislate AI? Congressman Don Beyer, co-chair of Congress’s bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Caucus, joins David Ro...

There is a lot to question when it comes to the future of AI. But what does the AI boom mean for the future of our democracy? David Rothkopf and political scientist Dave Karp of George Washington University examine how AI, billionaire media ownership, and campaign finance are concentrating power and weakening democracy. They explore the collapse of shared information, the influence of algorithms a...

As AI systems become more autonomous and are delegated more and more power across industries, we have to ask ourselves: are we walking the dog, or is the dog walking us? Is voluntary self-regulation really enough, or is it high time for legislators to get serious about reigning things in before the problem becomes too big to solve? CEO of CAS Strategies Camille Stewart Gloster joins us to discuss...

AI dread has spread. Even CEOs of major AI companies are forecasting doom and gloom, including the potential end of mankind. But how much of what they say is an honest appraisal, and how much is driven by ulterior motives? NYU’s Paul Barrett joins David Rothkopf to discuss his recent piece for Tech Policy Press and explain why we can’t let doomer CEOs or competition with China distract from sensib...

Top AI researchers seem to be increasingly convinced that AI is about to kill us all, so why isn’t our President more concerned? After an Anthropic researcher quit the company warning that continued AI development could end the world, Trump brushed off worries over AI attributing concerns to a “sick conspiracy.” Alondra Nelson of the Institute of Advanced Study joins David Rothkopf to analyze wher...

Venture capitalists and Silicon Valley have been riding high on the artificial intelligence wave. Yet with this runaway enthusiasm comes the risk for an even more calamitous bubble burst. Newcomer founder Eric Newcomer joins David Rothkopf to discuss why a reality check is much needed. They also explore Silicon Valley’s dramatic political shift, the growing public skepticism towards the tech oliga...

Politics makes strange bedfellows, and AI is making things stranger still. AI data centers are just one of the many ways that artificial intelligence and its by products are taking an increasingly large role in American politics at every level and creating new and bizarre alliances even among traditionally opposing factions. WIRED’s Molly Taft joins David Rothkopf to examine the rapid evolution of...

Why can’t the US and China just get along when it comes to artificial intelligence? As the two nations jockey for an edge in AI, President’s Trump and Xi prepare for a consequential summit where the tech race may play a bigger role than ever. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Scott Singer joins David Rothkopf to discuss why in the race for AI dominance between China the US, the best...

Are we being too laissez-faire in our approach to artificial intelligence? Rarely has there been a technology so profoundly important, yet so concentrated in the hands of a few private citizens. "National security experts Ivo Daalder and Graham Allison join David Rothkopf to explore the terrifying implications of hands-off policymaking, and why—as with nuclear weapons—we probably shouldn’t leave p...

The tech bros have made their bed, and soon it’s going to be time to lie in it. From Palantir to OpenAI, the figureheads of the major AI companies have endeared themselves to the Trump administration. Financial Times correspondent Joe Miller joins David Rothkopf to discuss how the impending midterms and not too distant presidential election could bring a reckoning to the tech industry.  This...

An OpenAI model has gone rogue. Not only has it gone rogue, but it hacked Hugging Face completely unprompted and without approval. That’s pretty scary. But just how much of this story should legitimately frighten us, and how much is being blown out of proportion? Senior Editor for AI at MIT Technology Review Will Heaven joins David Rothkopf to cut through the bullshit and share why we should be co...

The landscape of AI policy is changing rapidly. From a one year data center moratorium in New York to sweeping new energy laws in Thailand, it’s clear that governments around the world are exploring radical new approaches to artificial intelligence. AI, Energy and Climate host David Sandalow and Siliconsciousness host David Rothkopf join forces to examine the far-reaching debate over AI policy to...

The question is when, not if, the AI bubble is going to pop. As tech companies see share values skyrocket, it becomes more clear with each passing day that the value of these companies is built on a house of cards. So just how bad will the rest of us feel the pop? Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research Dean Baker joins David Rothkopf to answer this question and more.&n...

After recent primaries, it’s clear that AI is top of mind for many Americans. Whether it’s a mistrust of AI as a whole or just the people at the helms of the companies reaping massive profits, it’s clear that it’s past time for Democrats to have a robust tech and AI strategy. Former Director of the National AI Office Karen Kornbluh joins David Rothkopf to consider what Dems need to do for the midt...

Twists of recent history have led to deep distrust of the AI sector and political decisions about AI—and with good reason for both. With expert Dave Karpf, we discuss how we got to this point and how tech barons have reached historic levels of power and influence in Washington.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U...

It’s time to get serious about the effects of AI on how we work. Like every technological revolution, the advent of AI is causing tectonic shifts in labor. But this time, it’s entry-level and white color jobs that are feeling the effects. Georgios Petropoulos join David Rothkopf to discuss his recent article in MIT Technology Review and share how young professionals can prepare themselves for this...

The Pope has spoken on AI, and he has some concerns. The Pope’s new encyclical warns of profound dangers associated with artificial intelligence and calls for global action. He’s not the only one concerned with ensuring AI benefits everyone. Professor Alondra Nelson joins David Rothkopf to explain the need for auditing artificial intelligence, the need for responsible regulation, and more.  This m...

Leading the way in artificial intelligence doesn’t just take the most powerful chips and biggest data centers — it takes a cultural shift towards AI literacy. Eric Xing, President of the MBZ University of Artificial Intelligence, joins David Rothkopf to share the unique approach the university takes to training the next generation of leaders in tech. Don’t miss this important conversation covering...

The tech bros could be in for a rude awakening come November. We’ve seen the big names in AI increasingly cozy up with Republicans, but they may have forgotten that there is another party is poised to get back into power. How is Silicon Valley going to respond to a future Democratic administration? Are tech bros hoping to tip the scales to the point where it doesn’t matter who wins? GWU Professor...

Sam Altman and Elon Musk are facing off in court, but beyond the high-profile legal drama, a wave of industry-shifting stories is unfolding. Mat Honan, Editor-in-Chief of MIT Technology Review, joins David Rothkopf to explore the week's key headlines—including the era of AI malaise, China’s strategic pivot toward open-source models, and more. This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services,...

AI should serve us, yet that’s not always the approach that experts take. There’s been a lot of talk about AI fueling economic displacement, but what about AI that’s a partner instead of a replacement for us? Dr. Angela Aristidou joins David Rothkopf to cut through the theoretical explore why real-world deployment of AI can improve workflow and augment human relationships rather than eliminating t...

Nobody wants to get scammed, yet everyone has a story about it happening to them or someone they know. In the age of AI, scams are more elaborate and devious than ever. So what can you do about it? Anya Schiffrin and Alice Marwick join David Rothkopf to discuss their recent policy brief about the scourge of AI scams, what governments can do to stem the growing tide of scams, and how individuals ca...

The political allegiances of Silicon Valley have shifted. Tech bros are becoming more and more aligned with Republicans. So how can Democrats balance the needs of the public interest without alienating the tech industry? Policy expert and White House veteran Rohini Kosoglu joins David Rothkopf to explore how Democrats can address the anxieties over job displacement, the concentration of wealth amo...

Fake news has been turbocharged by AI — and it’s getting worse every day. Now with a massive conflict in the Middle East, there is a flood of fake content designed to misinform. So how do we cut through the bullshit and separate the truth from lies? Open-Source Intelligence Analyst Tal Hagin joins David Rothkopf to explore why ai-generated disinformation has exploded in recent months and the tools...

Conversations on AI typically deal with impacts in the US, Asia, and Europe. Yet the impact of AI on Africa, and Africa on AI, is immense. Professor and Director of the MIND Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand Benjamin Rosman joins David Rothkopf to explore the unique perspectives coming from Africa in the tech space, why grassroots movements drive innovation, and how unique resource...