TechTank

Teens are using AI—but not how we think

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A recent survey examined how U.S. teens use and view AI, finding the majority have used chatbots for schoolwork or searching for i...

Does the Anthropic–Pentagon feud mean the end of responsible AI?

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In February, Anthropic faced an ultimatum from the Pentagon to provide unrestricted use of its AI models. When the company refused, the defense secret...

Going back to the moon

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. will soon launch a crewed ship to circle the moon and test equipment for takeoff and reentry, raising interesting questions about space explo...

What to expect from the India AI Impact Summit

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

India will host the latest in a series of global AI summits this month, marking the first of these convenings to take place in the Global South. The e...

Tech outlooks for 2026

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From advances in generative AI to crackdowns on kids' use of social media, various discussions around technology are likely to continue or expand in 2...

Universities tackled digital inclusion—now they are accelerating AI use

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Some surveys show the majority of college students are using AI for academics, and several institutions are also embracing the technology, looking for...

Why water is important for data centers

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Data centers are crucial for AI, but with thousands of file servers, they also require large amounts of energy and water. As more facilities are built...

'Navigating Technology and National Security’ with author Justin Sherman

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many of today’s conversations about AI and emerging technologies are increasingly driven by questions about national security. These conversati...

Wired Wisdom': A conversation with author Eszter Hargittai on older populations

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the internet emerged, so did stereotypes about older people's use of it. Yet research has countered some of these common beliefs and led to greater...

The Age of Extraction': A discussion on Tim Wu's new book

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Marketplaces look different in the digital age and are controlled by a few large companies with immense economic and cultural power. Co-host...

Why data centers are important for AI

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AI is the transformative technology of our time, yet undergirding the growing use of AI is the need for state-of-the-art data centers that host the fi...

On European digital sovereignty and platform regulation with Marietje Schaake

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Europe created regulatory frameworks, including the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act, in attempt to reassert control, but these laws h...

Will AI democratize financial services?

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Financial services have long relied on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for a range of duties, from administrative tasks to decision-...

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez talks about the future of the communications landscape

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The media and communications landscapes are in flux as the administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues to implement its prior...

How the NFL is using technology to improve performance

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Digital technologies and data analytics are increasingly being used to help athletes and coaches better monitor their performance and find areas for i...

Measuring Black women’s trust in AI

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some historically marginalized groups, including Black women, have a complex relationship with the scientific community and institutions, yet their co...

Examining Section 230’s impact on Black Americans

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Section 230 has shaped the internet since its passage in 1996 and has had far-reaching implications for marginalized groups, including Black Americans...

Understanding and regulating crypto harms

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Conversations on cryptocurrency have been dominated by the industry and experts, leaving out the public, who will be impacted by Congress’ legislati...

How autonomous vehicles can talk to one another

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As driverless cars hit the roads in more cities, some researchers are trying to improve their efficiency and navigational systems by creating social n...

Big Tech monopoly maintenance: Is a ‘go and sin no more’ remedy sufficient?

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Several major tech companies are facing legal challenges from antitrust enforcers who allege they have monopolized their respective markets. As courts...

What experts and the public think about AI

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

 A recent report from Pew Research Center analyzed how U.S. adults and tech experts feel about AI, finding areas where the two groups were widely...

How much influence do private firms have over space policy?

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amid excitement around advancements in space exploration, there are unresolved issues concerning the role of private firms. Some companies receive bil...

How DOGE is Using AI in Government

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There is talk of “unleashing AI” and removing burdensome regulations on its use within the new Trump administration. Staff members associated with...

‘Signalgate’ and the Use of Commercial Apps in Government

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief revealed he was inadvertently added to a group chat with high-ranking national security officials on the commer...

What to expect from Trump’s FCC?

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has a new Chair, Brendan Carr, and his priorities are quickly taking shape. The FCC is responsible for uni...

How Black Tech Founders Are Advancing Innovation

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

African Americans have had long standing impacts in the field of innovation as inventors to entrepreneurs. In this episode, we will talk to serial ent...

What’s next for TikTok?

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To ban or not to ban the social media app, Tik Tok? This has been the question since President Trump’s first term in office, largely due to a host o...

Realizing Africa’s Potential: A Conversation with Book Author, Landry Signé

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

By 2050, Africa will be home to 25% of the world’s population with more than $16 trillion in combined business and consumer spending. The dividends ...

New Developments in State Technology Policy

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Congress has not passed many bills on the emerging digital economy. But that does not mean nothing is happening policy-wise. At the state level, there...

What to Expect from the Trump Administration on Cybersecurity

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The digital world has become a dangerous place. We have seen foreign entities burrow intotelecom networks and extract highly confidential information....

Will the US Become the new Crypto Capital of the World?

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump's election could set the stage for a sweeping policy overhaul, fueled by ambitious plans to make the United States the crypto capital of ...

What a Trump Presidency Means for Tech

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

 In this episode of the TechTank Podcast, Cohost Darrell West and Nicol Turner Lee sit down to discuss what to expect in the coming yea...

Is climate change a forgotten priority for election 2024?

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the TechTank podcast guest host Xavier Freeman-Edwards is joined by Barry Rabe, Nonresident Senior Fellow in Governance S...

Can social media platforms engage in their own self-regulation?

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the TechTank Podcast co-host, Nicol Turner Lee, shares her new paper on this topic with Mary K. Engle Executive Vice President...

How Does Tech Affect Inequality?

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the TechTank Podcast, Darrell West talks with Zia Qureshi a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow in Global Economy and Development about h...

What do Vance and Walz have to say about tech policy ?

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week on The TechTank Podcast, Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West explore how the Vice President candidate's tech policy stances might influen...

A Citizen's Guide to Disinformation

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the TechTank podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by her colleagues, co-host Darrell West, and Elaine Kamarck, a senior fello...

Will VP Harris close the gaps for the digitally invisible if elected?

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host, Darrell West speaks to Nicol Turner Lee, co-host and author of Digitally Invisible, to discuss what ...

What Project 2025 says about AI, antitrust, and public radio

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West is joined by Roxana Mika Muenster, COMPASS fellow at Brookings’ Center for Technology and a ...

Where was tech policy in the presidential race before Biden dropped out?

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Dr. Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Steven Overly, the host of POLITICO Tech at POLITICO, and Darrell West, S...

Creating Queer Inclusive Research and Experiences in AI

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee welcomes two distinguished guests: Arjun Subramonian, a Computer Science PhD candidate at ...

What to make of the new AI Roadmap from the Senate’s Bipartisan Commission

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join us on the latest episode of the TechTank Podcast, where co-hosts Darrell West and Nicol Turner Lee dive into the opportunities and challenges of ...

Embracing AI in Legal Practice: Opportunities and Challenges

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee talks about the state of artificial intelligence in the law with Mark Brennan, a tech and ...

A Conversation with the U.S. Chief Data Scientist: Dominique Duval-Diop

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Dr. Dominique Duval-Diop, the Chief Data Scientist for the United...

From The TechTank Archives: Civil rights and artificial intelligence

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the TechTank Podcast, we revisit a crucial discussion from 2022 on civil rights and artificial intelligence. On this previous&n...

The road back to the moon

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, Co-host Darrell West will delve into the significance of the mission to the Moon and its implicat...

Navigating the Future of AI Governance

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Darrell delves into the intricacies of AI governance and provides insights into what to a...

Will Ending the Affordable Broadband Connectivity Program (ACP) Halt Digital Equity?

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Currently benefiting over 23 million households, the ACP has provided affordable broadband to those in need. But in recent weeks, it may be abruptly e...

The Future of Quantum Computing

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West delves into the future and capabilities of powerful quantum computers. To aid in ...

What is the future of children’s online data privacy in the U.S.?

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest episode of the TechTank Podcast, cohost Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Jennifer Huddleston, a Technology Policy Research Fellow at the CAT...

The State of State Technology Policy

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode of the TechTank podcast, co-hosts Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West kickoff 2024 with an insightful conversation on the state o...

Tech Outlook for 2024

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the TechTank Podcast Co-host Darrell West and Nicol Turner Lee discuss what lies ahead for tech policy in 2024 and what people shou...

Generative AI, parents, and teens

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by StephenBalkam, founder and CEO of FOSI, and Kara Sundby, Senior ...

How AI Will Affect the 2024 Elections

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West engages in a conversation withElaine Kamarck, the Founding Director of the Center for Ef...

A conversation with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) on AI accountability and election integrity

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the #TechTank podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee talks with CongresswomanYvette D. Clarke about her prior and current legislative di...

From The TechTank Archives: Taylor Lorenz on Gen Z, Influencer Culture, and the Future of Social Media

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From December 13 2021: How have teens, the most tech-savvy population of all, been navigating the internet, rife with the spread of misinformation, al...

California Congressman Ted Lieu talks about the state of AI governance

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee speaks to Congressman Ted (D-CA) about these and other areas concerning AI regulatio...

Exploring the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-Host Nicol Turner Lee discusses what is new in the more recently updated Cybersecurity Framework 2.0. Join...

Why Should We Go Back to the Moon?

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, co-host Darrell West will be joined by Tom Colvin, a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) a...

Will Courts Allow Technology to Mitigate Climate Change?

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, co-host Darrell West explores the ramifications of judicial constraints on executive agencies. Joining the conversation is Barry Rabe...

AI Rules for the Metaverse

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The explosive popularity of ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies has allowed the metaverse to escape public attention and regulators’ notice...

Ways to Protect Children Online

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Darrell M. West explores potential paths forward in thesafety of kids online with Matt Perault, a pro...

How to Address Issues of Racial Equity and Justice

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Darrell M. West engages in an enlighteningconversation with Dr. Camille Busette, the interim Vice Pre...

Social media and teens: How do they think it impacts them?

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week’s episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee will be joined by Monica Anderson, director of internet and technology rese...

How AI Disrupts Elections and Influences Voter Choices

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With the 2024 elections around the corner, political tensions are running high, and there isconsiderable concern about how generative AI will affect c...

From The TechTank Archives: Twitter, Trump, and Online Speech

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From November 28, 2022: In this episode of the podcast, co-host Darrell West speaks to Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in Governance Studies and direc...

Bank failures and the tech sector: For better or for worse?

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the last year, bank failures have dominated the news cycle. On this episode of the TechTank podcast,co-host Nicol Turner Lee will discuss why the t...

Will the U.S. attain a competitive global spectrum strategy?

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Consumer demand for wireless services continue to increase in the U.S., prioritizing the need for more licensed and unlicensed spectrum as more servic...

Will Generative AI Kill Jobs?

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There has been considerable interest in recent months in generative AI that can answer questions, develop videos, write code, and perform many other t...

How Wikipedia Works

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host, Darrell West, dives into howWikipedia handles content moderation, disinformation, and bias. T...

How social media is changing politics

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, guest host Mishaela Robison, research assistant in Brookings Center for Technology Innovation, talks w...

How Memes Are Impacting Democracy

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, guest host Mishaela Robison will sit down with Dr. JoanDonovan, Research Director of Harvard Kennedy’...

Reclaiming local news in the age of the internet

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee will discuss thefuture of local news and the effects of the internet on tradi...

Is Economic Decoupling Possible for the United States?

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West is joined by two distinguished experts to discuss if economic decoupling is possible for...

What to expect for big tech, broadband, anti-trust, and other tech issues under the new Congress

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-hosts Darrell West, and Nicol Turner Lee discuss thefuture of Biden’s tech policy agenda under ...

Is it time to regulate social media platforms and search engines?

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s episode of the TechTank Podcast, moderator Darrell West, Vice President of GovernanceStudies at the Brookings Institution, will discu...

Technology adoption in Africa: current and future use cases for development

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, host Nicol Turner Lee explores technology adoption in Africa and universal access throughout the continent with guests Yolanda Jinxin...

Twitter, Trump, and Online Speech

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the podcast, co-host Darrell West speaks to Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in Governance Studies and director of the Center for Te...

What will it take to create inclusive AR/VR for a more diverse metaverse?

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Tech Tank, co-host, Nicol Turner Lee, speaks with Rashawn Ray, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution, and Profes...

Latino voters, midterm elections, and the effects of misinformation, and disinformation

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Latino voters registered and voted in higher numbers in the 2020 presidential election than in prior years, according to a 2021 report, and recent fin...

How to improve election security

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

To protect public integrity and faith our election, it is integral for the United States to work to combatexisting misinformation, protect the safety ...

Can AI Developers Be Incentivized to Debias their Algorithms?

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The prevalence and technical relevance of machine learning algorithms have increased over the years, making predictive decision-making tools part of t...

Undersecretary Xochitl Torres-Small on expanding access to rural broadband

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of TechTank, host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Undersecretary Xochitl Torres Small.Together, they discuss the administration’s ongo...

Do you know where your spectrum is? The U.S.’s never- ending quest for more bandwidth

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Spectrum policy has been essential in determining how to encourage communications technologydevelopment, while ensuring equitable access. On TechTank,...

The weaponization of information threatens American democracy. What should we do about that?

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On TechTank, Samantha Lai and Darrell West discusses his most recent book, “Power Politics: Trump and the Assault on American Democracy.” Together...

How does tech policy fall short in protecting people with disabilities?

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On TechTank, guest host Samantha Lai is joined by Lydia X.Z. Brown, Alex Engler and Henry Claypool todiscuss how people with disabilities are affected...

How does the internet facilitate worsening gun violence?

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Not a single week of 2022 has passed without multiple mass shootings. 343 people have been killedand 1,391 injured through July 4th of this year. On T...

How do we center equity in the future of telehealth?

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency orders and pandemic-era flexibilities for telehealth are quickly expiring, thus ending the many conven...

Will Americans finally see bipartisan federal privacy legislation? 

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On TechTank, host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Cameron Kerry and Jennifer King to discuss the current bipartisan and bicameral draft of the Amer...

Exploring the intersection of tech policy and LGBTQ+ rights

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This year’s Pride Month comes at a difficult time for LGBTQ+ rights. Over the past year, there have been over 300 anti-LGBTQ bills proposed in at le...

Deciphering the Metaverse

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the concept of the Metaverse, but questions surrounding issues of privacy, security, virtual content moderati...

Can policymakers level the playing field in the computer sciences?

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this technological age, workforce demands for computer science skills have evolved and keep evolving. On TechTank, Dr. Nicol Turner Lee is joined b...

What should we do about computer chip shortages?

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Semiconductor chips powered the digital revolution. However, recent shortages exacerbated by the global pandemic and geopolitical tensions have slowed...

A conversation on improving the STEM pipeline with UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On #TechTank, Dr. Turner Lee and Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, unpack the challenges of having a mo...

How to discourage extremism and harmful activities on social media platforms

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Internet democratized the information ecosystem and generated many different uses. But at the same time, there are concerns about ways that social...

A conversation with Jessica Brandt and Emerson Brooking on the information wars in the Russian invasion of Ukraine

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought forward many important questions about the social media landscape. In this episode of TechTank, guest host...

Civil rights and artificial intelligence: Can the two concepts coexist?

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nicol Turner Lee speaks to Renee Cummings and Lisa Rice on biases in artificial intelligence and howthey disproportionately impact historically margin...

Laura Coates on racial inequities in our criminal justice system

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On TechTank, Darrell West interviews Laura Coates on her new book, Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness. They talk about her views ...

Rep. Ro Khanna on democratizing our digital transformation

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Darrell West interviews Congressman Ro Khanna about his new book, Dignity in a DigitalAge: Making Tech Work for All of Us. They discuss challenges fro...

How Digital Technology Is Reshaping Espionage and Intelligence-Gathering

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Darrell West interviews Dr. Amy Zegart, author of a new book entitled Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: TheHistory and Future of American Intelligence...