Explain to Shane

Unlocking the Airwaves: Spectrum Allocation and Regulation (with Thomas Hazlett)

There is an invisible resource that powers our smartphones and connects our devices: spectrum airwaves. But regulations governing these airwaves were set decades ago, long before the age of smartphones and autonomous vehicles. With technology changing at a rapid pace, are these regulations for this finite resource outdated? What is the growing importance of airwave spectrum in an economy that is increasingly wireless? And what does a property-rights regime for spectrum look like in practice? Shane is joined by Professor Thomas Hazlett, author of the best-selling book The Political Spectrum: The Tumultuous Liberation of Wireless Technology, from Herbert Hoover to the Smartphone (2017) and a leading voice in telecommunications, media, and the internet. He is currently the H. H. Macaulay Endowed Professor of Economics and director of the Information Economy Project at Clemson University. He previously served as chief economist at the Federal Communications Commission. His extensive knowledge makes for an excellent conversation.

Trust and Safety in a Fragmented Digital World (with David Sullivan and Farzaneh Badiei)

Information technology and digital services are a rapidly changing sector operating in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. International bodies have struggled to fast-track standards for the digital services industry, and major companies have adopted their own. These trends risk creating a more fragmented world in which digital trust and safety suffer. To protect universal human rights, companies and governments need to speak the same language to identify industry best practices. The question remains: Which international bodies and frameworks are best equipped to address these challenges? Joining Shane are two experts working on the Digital Trust and Safety Partnership, David Sullivan and Farzaneh Badiei. The Digital Trust and Safety Partnership is an industry consortium focused on delivering best practices for protecting human rights in digital services. David Sullivan is the executive director of the partnership and previously served as the co-chair of the Digital Safety Risk Assessment Framework at the World Economic Forum’s Global Coalition for Digital Safety. Farzaneh Badiei is head of outreach and engagement at the partnership and is the founder of Digital Medusa, an organization that promotes sound digital governance.

Moving the Economy On-Chain (with Marc Boiron and Nicoletta Kolpakov)

As the digitization of the economy accelerates, the friction points facing the adoption of cryptocurrency are becoming more evident. The benefits of on-ramping to stablecoin are obvious: faster and more efficient money exchanges and improved cross-border transfers. Complicating adoption, however, are the challenges regulators face in assessing the risks associated with blockchain and defining the technology. Add to that the weight of an antiquated banking system and earning the public’s trust regarding their financial security. Ultimately, how do we best position ourselves to harness the benefits of crypto? And how do we make stablecoin accessible to everyone, not just tech-forward corporations? For this episode, Shane is joined by Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron. At Polygon, Boiron works with all aspects of the organization to scale out the company’s Open Money Stack and integrated services. Boiron is uniquely suited to answer these questions, having previously served as Polygon’s chief legal officer and understanding what policies it takes to move the economy on-chain. His background in both law and business positions him well to tackle the world of blockchain. Also joining the conversation is Nicoletta Kolpakov. She is the director of the Cirrus Institute, where she leads research and policy analysis in blockchain, digital finance, and AI.

Has the Cloud Gone Global? (with Michael Greenwald)

National security is becoming inextricably linked with cloud computing and AI—and this year’s Munich Security Conference solidified that fact. International statesmen met with technology leaders to discuss cloud infrastructure resilience, AI and automated defense systems, and the evolving dynamic between digital sovereignty and interoperability. But how will defense institutions balance the pressure to automate quickly without outrunning the workforce’s ability to trust the systems they depend on? And what developments in AI aren’t getting nearly enough attention from defense and policy leaders? Shane interviews Michael Greenwald, Director of Global Executive Relations at Amazon Web Services. Michael Greenwald joins us to discuss Munich, global defense alliances, and how AWS’s unique sovereign-by-design architecture powers innovation is secure, scalable AI and Cloud infrastructure. His previous experience as the US Treasury Department’s financial attaché to Qatar and Kuwait, paired with his deep understanding of technology systems, makes him an ideal guest to discuss the future of national security and automation.

Data Centers and Power Grids: The Battle for AI Infrastructure (with Lynne Kiesling and Steve DelBianco)

As artificial intelligence becomes a key part of national infrastructure, developers across the United States are rushing to build large data centers in many regions. Many of these areas haven’t seen this level of industrial growth in decades, and these projects appear to bring the promise of jobs and economic growth to communities that need it. Despite the potential for renewed prosperity, local residents are opposing data centers. Most cite environmental impacts and increasing energy costs as major concerns. Are these worries based in reality? If not, where are they originating from, and how can we address these narratives? To discuss this, I am joined by Lynne Kiesling and Steve DelBianco. Lynne is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she leads the Electricity Technology, Regulation, and Market Design Working Group. She also directs the Institute for Regulatory Law and Economics at the Northwestern University Center on Law, Business, and Economics, and is a member of the US Department of Energy’s Electricity Advisory Committee. Steve is the president and CEO of NetChoice, where he collaborates with its members to protect online free enterprise and free expression. He is a seasoned expert on internet governance.