Innovation Files: Where Tech Meets Public Policy
114 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago -Explore the intersection of technology, innovation, and public policy with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the world’s leading think tank for science and tech policy. Innovation Files serves up expert interviews, insights, and commentary on topics ranging from the broad economics of innovation to specific policy and regulatory questions about new technologies. Expect to hear some unconventional wisdom.
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Episodes
Navigating Deepfakes While Promoting Innovation, With Ryan Long
April 22, 2024 04:00 - 25 minutes - 17.4 MBThe past few years have seen a remarkable rise in the quality and quantity of deepfakes. Rob and Jackie discussed the rise of deepfakes with Ryan Long, Vice-Chairman of the California Lawyers Association, Licensing and Technology Transactions Group, Intellectual Property Section, and explored how to harness this technology responsibly while preventing abuse. Mentioned Henry A Kissinger, Eric Schmidt and Daniel Huttenlocher. The Age of AI: And Our Human Future, (Little, Brown and Company, 2...
Supply Chain Origins and Innovations, With Yossi Sheffi
April 01, 2024 04:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MBThe term ‘supply chain’ is relatively new, but the activities involved are not as new as we think. Rob and Jackie sat down with Yossi Sheffi, Director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, to discuss the complex history of supply chains and how technology and AI will continue to evolve supply chain processes in the future. Mentioned Yossi Sheffi. The Magic Conveyor Belt: Supply Chains, A.I., and the Future of Work, (MIT CTL Media, 2023). Related Stephen Ezell and Stefan Koe...
The Interplay of Hype and Skepticism in Autonomous Vehicle Advancements, With Richard Mudge
March 11, 2024 16:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBAmidst the burgeoning advancements in autonomous vehicles (AVs), striking a balance between expectation and reality emerges as a challenge. Rob and Jackie sat down with Richard Mudge, president and founder of Compass Transportation and Technology, to discuss how innovations in the world of AVs can affect safety, productivity, and job creation. Mentioned Michigan.gov. “I-94 Connected & Automated Vehicle (CAV) Corridor Proposed Project,” Michigan Department of Transportation. Related Aswin...
Quantum Computing’s Potential to Drive Business Results, With Murray Thom
February 20, 2024 05:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBWhile quantum computing technology is maturing more slowly than other innovations, its potential is vast. Rob and Jackie sat down with Murray Thom, vice president of product management at D-Wave, to discuss quantum computing applications already being put into place, and possible advancements in the future. Mentioned Hodan Omaar. “The U.S. Approach to Quantum Policy,” (Center for Data Innovation, October 2023). Congress.gov. "Text - H.R.6227 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): National Quantu...
Using Artificial Intelligence to Augment Workflow, With Nitin Mittal
January 29, 2024 05:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBUsed to its full potential, artificial intelligence (AI) can assist employees, improve interactions with customers, and increase efficiency. Rob and Jackie sat down with Nitin Mittal, a principal with Deloitte Consulting, to discuss how AI is being used to enhance work environments. Mentioned Thomas H. Davenport and Nitin Mittal. All-in On AI: How Smart Companies Win Big with Artificial Intelligence, (Harvard Business Review Press, 2023). “State of AI in the Enterprise, 5th edition re...
We Need to Remain Proactive About Supporting Digital Free Trade, With Nigel Cory
January 08, 2024 05:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBForced local data storage requirements are at the heart of both digital protectionism and digital authoritarianism. Rob and Jackie sat down with Nigel Cory, associate director covering trade policy at ITIF, to discuss how data localization reduces trade, slows productivity, and increases prices. Related Nigel Cory, “How the G7 Can Use ‘Data Free Flow With Trust’ to Build Global Data Governance,” (ITIF, July 2023). Nigel Cory, “USTR Tai’s Justification to Take a Time-out on Digital Trade D...
Cultivating Innovation Ecosystems, With Jessica Corrigan
December 04, 2023 05:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBTo flourish, innovation hubs need the right combination of talent, tech, funding, and market access. Rob and Jackie sat down with Jessica Corrigan, the director of M&T's Tech Academy, to discuss how smaller regions can become powerful innovation ecosystems. Mentioned Robert D. Atkinson, “Comments to the Commerce Department Regarding Implementation of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program,” (ITIF, March 2023). Related Matt Ashare, “At M&T Bank, modernization and talent strate...
The Importance of Reducing Anticompetitive Market Distortions, With Alden Abbott and Shanker Singham
November 13, 2023 05:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBThere is a troubling chasm between trade policy and competition policy. Rob and Jackie sat down with Alden Abbott, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, and Shanker Singham, one of the world's leading international trade and competition economists, to discuss how to bridge the gap between barriers at the border and conditions of competition inside the border. Mentioned Shanker Singham and Alden F. Abbott. Trade, Competition and Domestic Regulatory Policy, (Taylor & Francis Group, ...
How China Continues to Shirk Its Trade Obligations, With Dennis Shea
October 23, 2023 04:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBChina has had a dismissive attitude about its obligations as a member of World Trade Organization (WTO) ever since it joined the organization. Rob and Jackie sat down with Dennis Shea, executive director of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy, to discuss how China’s current non-market economic system is simply incompatible with WTO norms. Mentioned Dennis Shea. China’s Trade-Disruptive Economic Model and the Implications for the WTO. (U.S. Mission to International Organiza...
Getting Export Controls Right, With Kevin Wolf
October 02, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutes - 20.6 MBExport controls exist at the perilous intersection of economic policy and national security. What could go wrong? Rob and Jackie sat down with Kevin Wolf, a partner at Akin Gump, to discuss how to strike the right balance between keeping certain advanced technologies away from adversarial militaries without locking U.S. firms out of global markets. Related Robert D. Atkinson, “Export Controls Shrink the Global Markets U.S. Semiconductors Need to Survive” (ITIF, July 2023). Stephen Ezell...
‘Regulation by Outrage’ Is a Detriment to Emerging Technologies, With Patrick Grady
September 11, 2023 04:00 - 20 minutes - 14.4 MBPolicy regarding new technologies can be reactionary, confused, and focused on the wrong things. Rob and Jackie sat down with Patrick Grady, former policy analyst at ITIF’s Center for Data Innovation, to discuss what the European Union’s policymaking process can teach us about regulating emerging tech. Mentioned: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Laying Down Harmonised Rules on Artificial Intelligence, (European Commission, April 2021). Related" Patr...
Counterfeiting is a Crime Against Innovation, With Kebharu Smith
August 07, 2023 04:00 - 20 minutes - 14.4 MBCounterfeiting—one of the oldest, simplest crimes—has only continued to evolve as technology has grown more complex. Rob and Jackie sat down with Kebharu Smith, director of Amazon's Counterfeit Crimes Unit and Associate General Counsel, to talk about how counterfeiting negatively impacts business, taxes, intellectual property, and innovation itself. Mentioned Becca Trate and Daniel Castro. Best Practices to Combat Online Sale of Counterfeits in the EU and US, (ITIF, July 2022). Related...
The Complicated Evolution of Information, With Jim Cortada
July 17, 2023 04:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MBOver the past 150 years, humanity has generated an unprecedented amount and variety of information, surpassing the cumulative knowledge of previous eras. Rob and Jackie sat down with Jim Cortada, a senior research fellow at the Charles Babbage Institute at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities to talk about how information shapes society. Mentioned Jim Cortada, Birth of Modern Facts: How the Information Revolution Transformed Academic Research, Governments, and Businesses, (Sandman Book...
Why Societal Trust is Imperative For Innovation, With David Moschella
June 05, 2023 04:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBLooking ahead to the technology challenges and opportunities of the next decade, social trust is more important than ever for the tech industry. Rob and Jackie sat down with David Moschella, a nonresident senior fellow at ITIF and the author of ITIF’s “Defending Digital” series, to discuss how a lack of societal trust harms the U.S. innovation system. Mentioned David Moschella, “Digital Innovation Isn’t Undermining Societal Trust; It’s the Other Way Around” (ITIF, February 2023). Related ...
Why Societal Trust Is Imperative For Innovation, With David Moschella
June 05, 2023 04:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBLooking ahead to the technological challenges and opportunities of the next decade, social trust will be more important than ever for the tech industry. Rob and Jackie sat down with David Moschella, a nonresident senior fellow at ITIF and the author of ITIF’s “Defending Digital” series, to discuss how a lack of societal trust harms the U.S. innovation system. Mentioned David Moschella, “Digital Innovation Isn’t Undermining Societal Trust; It’s the Other Way Around” (ITIF, February 2023). ...
Deciphering the World of Data, With George Sciadas
May 15, 2023 04:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBA data-driven world raises the stakes for numeric literacy. Rob and Jackie sit down with George Sciadas, the former director of the Statistics Canada Center for Special Business Projects and author of the new book Number Savvy, to discuss the past, present, and future of data in society. Mentioned George Sciadas. Number Savvy: From the Invention of Numbers to the Future of Data, (Taylor & Francis Group, 2022). Kirk Goldsberry. Sprawlball: A Visual Tour of the New Era of the NBA. (Mariner...
Containing China While Rebuilding the United States, With Jonathan Ward
April 03, 2023 04:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBAmerica can’t just pick up speed to beat China economically; it needs to slow down China, because there’s no use in accelerating when your adversary is along for the ride. Rob and Jackie sat down with Jonathan Ward, author of China’s Vision of Victory, to discuss where things stand in innovation and technology, and how the U.S. can maintain its position as the world’s largest and most sophisticated economy. Mentioned Jonathan Ward. The Decisive Decade: American Grand Strategy for Triumph O...
The Future of Smart Cities in a Data-Driven Society, With Jonathan Reichental
March 06, 2023 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBTo improve quality of life for as many people as possible, the places to start are cities. Rob and Jackie sat down with multiple award-winning technology and business leader Jonathan Reichental to discuss why the United States is falling behind other countries in the “smart city” movement and why it matters in a data-driven world. Mentioned Jonathan Reichental. Data Governance for Dummies.For Dummies, 2022. Jonathan Reichental. Smart Cities for Dummies.For Dummies, 2022. “New Urban Mecha...
Should Section 230 Cover Algorithms? What’s at Stake in Gonzalez v. Google, With Ashley Johnson
February 13, 2023 05:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBGoogle doesn’t create terrorist propaganda videos, doesn’t allow them on YouTube, and takes them down as fast as it can when extremist groups post them anyway. But a question now before the Supreme Court is whether Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects Google and other platform operators from liability if their algorithms end up spreading harmful content. To parse the potential ramifications, Rob and Jackie sat down with Senior Policy Analyst Ashley Johnson, one of ITIF’s re...
Microchips Are the New Oil, With Chris Miller
January 23, 2023 05:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBSemiconductors are arguably the most important core technology in the modern world. You can’t fully understand the current state of politics, economics, or technology until you consider the role they play. Rob and Jackie sat down with economic historian Chris Miller to discuss the extent to which microchips are the new oil. Mentioned Miller, Chris. Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology. Simon & Schuster, 2022. Remarks by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at ...
Measuring the Whole Spectrum of Mathematics Achievement, with Richard Rusczyk
December 12, 2022 05:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MBTeaching students to combine basic ideas to solve novel, difficult problems is imperative to lay a foundation for STEM pursuits. Rob and Jackie sat down with Richard Rusczyk, founder of the Art of Problem Solving Initiative, coauthor of the original Art of Problem Solving books, and cofounder of the Mandelbrot Problem Solving Competition. Mentioned AoPS and Beast Academy Math programs for Advanced Students. Art of Problem Solving. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022. Robert D. Atkinson an...
Growth and the Character of Society, With Benjamin Friedman
November 28, 2022 06:00 - 31 minutes - 21.6 MBEconomics is about more than the economy. It also intersects public and private institutions, culture, religion, morality, and politics. Rob and Jackie explored these subjects with Benjamin Friedman, a professor of Political Economy at Harvard and author of The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth and Religion and the Rise of Capitalism. Mentioned: Benjamin Friedman, Religion and the Rise of Capitalism (Vintage: 2022). Benjamin Friedman, The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth (Vintage...
Seven Ways Nations Attain and Keep National Competitiveness, With Michael Mazaar
October 24, 2022 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBRob and Jackie sat down with Michael Mazarr, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, to discuss his report identifying characteristics that are associated with competitive advantage. They touch on how the U.S. is currently lacking most if not all of them, and potential steps moving forward. Mentioned: Michael J. Mazaar, The Societal Foundations of National Competitiveness, Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2022. Michael J. Mazaar, The Sources of Societal Competitiveness: H...
How Henry Ford’s Populist Attitude Led Him to Share Tech With Enemies, With Stefan Link
October 03, 2022 05:00 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBMidwestern populism caused a ripple effect that extended to open technology transfers and exchanges between Ford Motor Company and both Soviet and Nazi specialists. Rob and Jackie sat down with Stefan Link, Associate Professor of History at Dartmouth University, to discuss Henry Ford and his “open door policy” regarding methods and engineering. Mentioned: Stefan J. Link, Forging Global Fordism: Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and the Contest over the Industrial Order (Princeton: Princeton Uni...
Three Historic Tech Booms Shaping Our Times, With Peter Leyden
September 12, 2022 05:00 - 30 minutes - 20.7 MBThere are techniques for thoroughly thinking through how technologies will be adopted, what their implications will be, how they will spur growth, and how they will create new industries. Rob and Jackie sat down with futurist and tech expert Peter Leyden, who hosts Civilization Salons at The Long Now Foundation, to discuss how digital technologies are shaping the future for the economy, the work force, manufacturing, and more. Mentioned: Jason Feifer, “Wearing A Walkman Was Illegal,” Bui...
What Happens to the Economy When Patent Protections Are Weakened, With Jonathan Barnett
August 15, 2022 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MBRobust intellectual property rights provide the incentives necessary to drive innovation by allowing markets to form for tangible and intangible assets. Without them, incentives get distorted and innovation slows. Rob and Jackie sat down with Jonathan Barnett, director of the Media, Entertainment and Technology Law Program at USC’s Gould School of Law, to discuss the recent history, current political dynamics, and economic stakes associated with patent protections. Mentioned: Jonathan Barn...
Life Sciences Innovation Through the Bayh-Dole Act, With Joe Allen
August 01, 2022 05:00 - 32 minutes - 22.5 MBInnovation in life sciences is crucial for many key industries in the United States and across the globe. It supports advances in human biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, health care policy, and beyond. Such advances would not always have been possible without the Bayh-Dole Act. Rob and Jackie sat down with Joe Allen, who served as a professional staffer on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to former Senator Birch Bayh, to discuss the importance of the Bayh-Dole Act and the future of life sci...
Securing US Leadership in Quantum Computing, With Edward Parker
July 18, 2022 05:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBQuantum technologies, especially quantum computing, hold great promise in revolutionizing everyday systems. Quantum computing can be applied to health care, artificial intelligence, national security, and beyond. Rob and Jackie sat down with Edward Parker, a physical scientist at the RAND Corporation, to discuss the implications of quantum computing and how the United States can remain the global leader in this technology. Mentioned: Edward Parker, et al., “An Assessment of the U.S. and Ch...
The Future of Climate Tech Through the U.S. Electric System, With Peter Fox-Penner
July 05, 2022 05:00 - 28 minutes - 19.9 MBThe world is facing a climate crisis. But venture-backed clean energy technologies can help avert the worst outcome. Rob and Jackie sat down with Peter Fox-Penner, senior fellow and founding director of Boston University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and chief impact officer of Energy Impact Partners, to discuss the promise of climate-tech innovation in the U.S. electrical system and venture capital’s role in slowing climate change. Related Hoyu Chong, “Mission Critical: The Global ...
The Economics of Data, With David Deming
June 21, 2022 12:00 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBData is one of the most essential and valuable assets in the world. It impacts everything from the ads we see and the products we buy to national security. Rob and Jackie sat down with David Deming, the Academic Dean and a Professor of Political Economy at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Director of the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, to discuss the importance of data, data sharing, and ways to protect individual data privacy. Mentioned David Demin...
When the Chips Are Down: Why Domestic Semiconductor Production Matters, With John Zysman
June 06, 2022 05:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MBThe United States used to be a leader in semiconductor production, but its share of global output dropped from 37 percent in 1990 to just 12 percent in 2019. That helps explain why the country now faces serious supply issues. Rob and Jackie sat down with John Zysman, a professor emeritus at UC Berkeley and co-founder/co-director of the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy, to discuss why U.S. semiconductor production is down, what it portends, and how America can regain its footi...
China’s Race to the Top: Authoritarianism in Technology and Global Affairs, With Keith Krach
May 23, 2022 05:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBChina is taking an authoritarian approach in its quest to be a dominant power in technology and global affairs. Silicon Valley innovator and former Under Secretary of State Keith Krach has a unique perspective on both aspects. Rob and Jackie sat down with him to discuss how China is impacting global market competition and what it means for U.S. competition policy. Mentioned Keith Krach, “Present your China contingency plan at the next board meeting,” Fortune Magazine, April 2022. Related...
Back to the Future: Historical Lessons of U.S. AI Policy, With Arthur Herman
May 02, 2022 05:00 - 28 minutes - 19.8 MBThe United States has been a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) since the 1950s. But AI and other advanced industry leadership in the United States has been threatened by increased competition with China. Rob and Jackie sat down with Arthur Herman, a senior fellow and director of the Quantum Alliance Initiative at The Hudson Institute, to discuss how AI leadership in the United States has eroded and what policymakers can do to save it for the future. Mentioned: Arthur Herman, Freedom’...
The Future of Buying Cars, With Daniel Crane
April 18, 2022 05:00 - 28 minutes - 19.7 MBOne of the benefits of electric vehicles is they cost less to maintain. But that also means there’s less profit to be had in servicing their warranties, which gives car dealers less incentive to sell them. That’s why EV makers like Tesla and Rivian depend on direct-to-consumer sales and distribution. Unfortunately, there are decades-old dealer-distribution laws standing in the way. Rob and Jackie sat down with Daniel Crane, the Frederick Paul Firth Senior Professor of Law at University of Mi...
Investing in American Dynamism, With Ben Horowitz and Katherine Boyle
April 04, 2022 05:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBVenture capitalists know what it feels like when a company is firing on all cylinders. But it’s been a while since the whole country had that feeling of dynamism—so why not focus on companies that help the cause by supporting the national interest, solving critical problems, and doing fundamentally new things? Rob and Jackie sat down with Ben Horowitz and Katherine Boyle of the leading VC firm Andreessen Horowitz to talk about investing in American dynamism. Mentioned Ben Horowitz, The Har...
The Promise of 5G, With Susie Armstrong
March 21, 2022 05:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBTechnology is rapidly developing across many sectors—and that is especially true with wireless technologies. 5G phones give consumers better, stronger, faster service and more capacity to download. But 5G goes beyond phones, it provides great innovative capacity for businesses. Rob and Jackie sat down with Susie Armstrong, senior vice president for engineering at QUALCOMM, to discuss what makes 5G unique and how it impacts smart factories, healthcare, and more. Related Doug Brake, “ITIF T...
The Future of US-EU Trade, With Denis Redonnet
March 07, 2022 06:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBTrade tensions between the United States and the EU have increased over the past few years. Decreasing those transatlantic tensions while promoting fair competition will be especially important with the challenge of a rising China. That is a key goal of the new U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). Rob and Jackie sat down with Denis Redonnet, the EU’s chief trade enforcement officer, to discuss the opportunities and challenges for the TTC and the broader implications for trade policies...
The Challenges China Presents to U.S. Technological Capabilities, With Matt Turpin
February 21, 2022 06:00 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBChina’s rapid technological development has put tremendous pressure on the United States to remain competitive in strategically important industries. Rob and Jackie sat down with Matt Turpin to discuss what the United States has done so far to face the China challenge and what future policies should look like. Turpin is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and has served as the National Security Council’s director for China and as the senior advisor on China to the Secretary of Commer...
How China’s Role in Technology Development Affects the United States and the World, With Sam Olsen
February 07, 2022 06:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBChina views technology and the tech companies that produce it as strategic assets to be leveraged in a global race for geopolitical advantage. That’s why it doesn’t treat its domestic champions as players in a free market—the point is to make sure they win at the expense of Western competitors. Rob and Jackie sat down with entrepreneur and strategist Sam Olsen, author of What China Wants, to discuss the implications of China’s technological development. Mentioned: Sam Olsen, What China Wa...
How China Influences U.S. Innovation and Technological Capabilities, With Barry Naughton
January 24, 2022 06:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MBConcerns about China’s rapid rise in recent decades have affected U.S. policies on technology, innovation, and industrial competitiveness. Rob and Jackie discussed the history of Chinese industrial policy and its implications for America and its allies with Barry Naughton, the So Kwanlok Chair of Chinese International Affairs at UC San Diego and author of The Rise of China’s Industrial Policy, 1978 to 2020. Mentioned: Barry Naughton, The Rise of China’s Industrial Policy, 1978 to 2020, (A...
How APIs Are Transforming the Internet, With Rob Dickinson
January 03, 2022 06:00 - 26 minutes - 17.9 MBApplication programming interfaces (APIs) are among the most important technologies for Internet the today, enabling software-based systems to automate tasks and redraw the lines between organizations, suppliers, customers, and partners in ways not seen since the birth of the web. Rob and Jackie sat down with Rob Dickinson, co-founder and CEO of Resurface Labs, to discuss the future of APIs and the implications for public policy. Mentioned Ashley Johnson and Daniel Castro, “Improving Acce...
The Keys to Diversifying Computer Science Education, With Dr. Juan Gilbert
December 13, 2021 06:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MBSTEM-related fields are booming in the United States, but they often lack diversity. If the United States wants to remain a leader in these fields, policymakers must take steps to adequately fund state institutions to ensure that all students receive access to STEM programs. Rob and Jackie sat down with Dr. Juan Gilbert, chair of the University of Florida’s Computer & Information Science & Engineering Department, to discuss how the United States has fallen behind in recruiting students in sc...
The Ghosts of Supply Chains Past, Present, and Future, With Chris Caine
November 29, 2021 06:00 - 26 minutes - 18.5 MBGlobal supply chains are cracking up. Even before the pandemic, a confluence of economic and geopolitical factors were accelerating the trend—from rising wages in China to nationalist sentiments sweeping the West, to the beginnings of a U.S.-China decoupling. Rob and Jackie sat down with Chris Caine, president of the Center for Global Enterprise, to break down the reasons for the massive disruption, discuss how different industry sectors are making different strategic calculations, and consi...
R&D Costs, Rx Prices, and the Formula for Success in Life Sciences Innovation, With Stephen Ezell
November 15, 2021 06:00 - 27 minutes - 19.2 MBThe United States is the leader in life sciences innovation, but that has not always been the case. As global competition intensifies, it needs to continue spurring investment in R&D to stay on top. Rob and Jackie sat down with Stephen Ezell, vice president of global innovation policy at ITIF, to discuss the history of U.S. life sciences innovation and break down R&D costs versus the market prices of innovative biopharmaceuticals. Mentioned Anusuya Chatterjee and Ross C. DeVol, “Estimating...
How Giants Rise and Fade in Silicon Valley, With Avram Miller
November 01, 2021 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.1 MBSilicon Valley obviously has a rich history of technological innovations that have transformed technology and the world as we know it. But with increased competition and stringent policies coming from Washington, its landscape has shifted. Rob and Jackie sat down with Avram Miller, co-founder of Intel Capital and author of The Flight of a Wild Duck to discuss how the decisions made by Intel and other tech giants have impacted Silicon Valley and how policymakers can better support the IT indu...
The Evolution of Robotics and Prospects for Maximizing Adoption, With Rian Whitton
October 18, 2021 05:00 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBThe first industrial robots appeared in the early 1960s and were initially optimized for production lines. These days, innovation in robotics is progressing rapidly as sophisticated localization and mapping enables improved robotic mobility, and as new levels of flexible manipulation allow robots to perform more specialized tasks. Rob and Jackie sat down recently with Rian Whitton, a strategic technologies analyst at ABI Research, to discuss the evolution of robotics and the prospects for ac...
Why There Is a Disconnect Between the Economics of Innovation and U.S. Antitrust Policy, With David Teece
October 04, 2021 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MBAntitrust policy should favor dynamic, innovation-driven competition, yet antitrust regulators generally don’t see it that way. Why is that? Rob and Jackie sat down recently with David Teece, the Thomas W. Tusher Professor in Global Business at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, to discuss the intersection of innovation and economics in antitrust policy. Mentioned David J. Teece, Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management: Organizing for Innovation and Growth (Oxford: Oxford Unive...
AI and Defense Innovation, With Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan
September 20, 2021 05:00 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBFor the military, capabilities in the field matter most, not R&D. So, when it comes to artificial intelligence, the Defense Department has been moving quickly by standing up a special team, like a startup enterprise. Its first pilot project, “Project Maven,” began as an intelligence application. Now the push is on to apply it in other areas. Rob and Jackie sat down with retired Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, the first director of the Defense Department’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC),...
Inside U.S. Industrial Policy and Operation Warp Speed, With David Adler
September 07, 2021 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MBIndustrial policy can produce great technological innovations to address major challenges for society. A perfect example is Operation Warp Speed, which has saved millions of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rob and Jackie sat down with David Adler, an adviser on industrial strategy at the Common Good Foundation in the United Kingdom and author of “Inside Operation Warp Speed: A New Model for Industrial Policy,” published in the summer issue of the American Affairs Journal, to discuss less...
Addressing Climate Change Through Innovation, With David Hart
August 23, 2021 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.3 MBAddressing climate change requires accelerating clean energy innovation across the full range of economic sectors—from transportation to electricity, manufacturing, and agriculture. Rob and Jackie sat down with David Hart, a professor of public policy at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government and director of ITIF’s Center for Clean Energy Innovation, to discuss the scope of the challenge and the best paths forward for policymakers. Mentioned: United Nations Framew...