Explain to Shane

Can Markets Modernize Spectrum? (with Roslyn Layton)

Americans rely on wireless connections for nearly every part of modern life, and demand for the airwaves that make those connections possible is only growing. But much of the nation’s spectrum remains accessible by federal agencies under a system approaching its 100th anniversary. How can the United States free up more spectrum for commercial use? Can the military rely more heavily on commercial networks without compromising national security? And could market-based incentives help federal agencies use this valuable resource more efficiently? To discuss this, Shane is joined by Roslyn Layton, executive vice president at Strand Consult. She is also a digital policy fellow at Michigan State University’s Quello Center and a senior fellow at the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. She previously served as a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and on the president-elect’s transition team for the Federal Communications Commission.

Frontier AI and the Cybersecurity Challenges (with Kevin Frazier)

New frontier AI models are changing the cybersecurity landscape. As advanced systems become more capable of finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities, the federal government is trying to determine how to protect critical infrastructure and maintain national security. The administration’s June executive order on AI and cybersecurity offers one answer, but it also raises several harder questions. Can the government keep up with rapidly developing models? If officials want to review every model before release, is that process really voluntary? And how can policymakers keep American networks safe without sacrificing innovation? To unpack what comes next, Shane is joined by Kevin Frazier in a crossover episode with Scaling Laws. Kevin is the director of the AI Innovation and Law Program at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law and a senior fellow at the Abundance Institute. He has testified before Congress on artificial intelligence and emerging technology issues and is a regular contributor to Lawfare.

Congressional Use of Artificial Intelligence (with Aubrey Wilson)

Artificial intelligence is being integrated into nearly every industry, but how is Congress using AI? As policymakers and their staff work to serve their constituents, can AI be used as a tool to modernize legislative operations, better equip staff, and strengthen our democratic processes? Congress has a unique opportunity to embrace this emerging technology, and failing to do so may leave it behind. To discuss this, Shane is joined by Aubrey Wilson, managing director of POPVOX Foundation. She has extensive experience on Capitol Hill as a former House legislative assistant, legislative correspondent, and deputy staff director for the Committee on House Administration in the 118th Congress. She was also a member of the R Street Institute’s governance policy and federal affairs team. Her work on the Hill and in academia provides a creative foundation for discussing how Congress is using AI.

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.