POLITICO Tech

The Trump administration launched the U.S. Tech Force this week, aiming to recruit 1,000 fellows with backgrounds in AI, cybersecurity and other high-tech fields into federal agencies. It’s the latest attempt to solve the government’s long-standing recruitment problem. But will this time be different? On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly sits down with Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor, a longtime tech investor, to discuss the new initiative, the impact of DOGE cuts and why the government must embrace AI. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social this week that he will sign an executive order aimed at banning state AI laws. The move will almost certainly appease Silicon Valley executives and anger some of his fellow Republicans — not to mention ignite a legal battle with state governments concerned about federal overreach. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly breaks down the latest developments surrounding the closely watched and intensely debated AI moratorium with the help of POLITICO technology reporters Gabby Miller and Brendan Bordelon. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. This episode has been updated to correct a mischaracterization of Andreessen Horowitz's policy position. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Craig Newmark is best known for shaping our digital past. As the founder of Craigslist, he was a pioneer in online classified advertising and lived the Silicon Valley dot-com bubble firsthand. These days, Newmark is donating his vast wealth to fight disinformation and cyber scams. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly sat down with Newmark to discuss whether he sees an AI bubble forming today, and why he’s hopeful the fast-moving technology will make us more secure online (even if it has some problems still to be worked out). Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meeting the rising energy demands of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and other emerging technologies is one of the big challenges facing the Trump administration. And Dario Gil, the undersecretary for science at the Energy Department, is one of the key officials searching for solutions — including yet-unrealized power sources like fusion. For POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly spoke with Gil on stage at the Aspen Cyber Summit in Washington about the administration’s energy priorities, competition with China, and the future of federal research. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been called a “Luddite” and “anti-tech,” but the actor, filmmaker and entrepreneur insists he’s actually dazzled by artificial intelligence. He just has qualms with the tech companies building it, and how they’re compensating people for their work and data. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly met up with Gordon-Levitt on the sidelines of an Aspen Digital event in Washington, D.C. to discuss AI’s consequences for creatives, and what he wants from the tech industry and from policymakers. This episode originally published on June 19, 2025. ⁠Steven Overly⁠ is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. ⁠Nirmal Mulaikal⁠ is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrats logged big election wins this week in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City. And in some races, artificial intelligence — and specifically the energy data centers will consume — was a key issue for voters. As the tech industry spends billions of dollars to build out AI infrastructure, Tuesday’s outcome suggests there could be new political roadblocks ahead. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly sits down with Ian Stevenson from POLITICO's E&E News to delve into the election in Virginia and why this issue could emerge in next year’s midterms, too. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Ian Stevenson is an energy and public lands reporter at POLITICO’s E&E News. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech companies are spending billions of dollars to build out their AI ambitions — with little clarity about how they’ll recoup their investments. Miriam Vogel, the CEO of the nonprofit EqualAI and former chair of the National AI Advisory Council, says the industry’s profitability depends in part on setting ground rules for the technology. On POLITICO Tech, Vogel joins host Steven Overly to discuss the new book she’s co-authored, entitled “Governing the Machine,” and what steps are needed to build public trust in the AI future. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even if you don’t use Signal, you certainly remember Signalgate. That was the scandal in March when senior U.S. officials used a private messaging app to communicate about a military strike in Yemen — and included a journalist in the chat. It thrust Signal and Signal Foundation President Meredith Whittaker into the spotlight. But she’s made headlines before as a Google employee turned vocal tech critic. On this week’s episode of POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly sits down with Whittaker to discuss the future of Big Tech, privacy risks in an AI world and how Silicon Valley is shaping politics. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tensions between the U.S. and China are inflamed yet again — with the tech sector in the crossfire. In the latest move, Beijing has threatened to restrict the trade of rare earth magnets and metals, which are critical for making high-tech products, from microchips to smartphones to electric vehicles. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly sits down with Liza Tobin, a geopolitical risk adviser and former China director on the National Security Council, to discuss the shaky state of the U.S.-China relationship and why the coming weeks will prove pivotal. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A growing number of city governments are adopting artificial intelligence — and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan wants to outpace all the rest. The former tech entrepreneur is pushing employees across Silicon Valley’s largest city to adopt the technology as a way of streamlining everything from bus routes to business permits. On POLITICO Tech, Mahan joins host Steven Overly to discuss the AI-enabled city he’s trying to build, as well as California’s new AI safety law, the risk of overregulating technology and his recent criticism of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The concept of "smart cities" — local governments that are digitized and automated — has been around for decades, but that bold vision hasn't quite materialized yet. Still, many cities are making a run at the idea, and they’re increasingly turning to artificial intelligence. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly sits down with James Anderson of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Government Innovation program to talk about how cities are adopting AI and the real-world hurdles they face along the way. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

POLITICO’s AI & Tech Summit this week tackled major policy debates: the partisan fight over online speech after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, along with Washington’s efforts to fend off China — and California — in the U.S. quest for AI dominance. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly sits down with technology reporters Brendan Bordelon and Anthony Adragna to analyze the most notable moments from the event, including comments from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas), White House senior AI adviser Sriram Krishnan and others. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthropic agreed to pay $1.5 billion to authors whose pirated books the company used to train its AI model, an eye-popping amount and one of the first big settlements of its kind. With so many copyright cases hanging out in the courts, could this be the first of many big payouts to come? On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly put that question and others to Keith Kupferschmid, the CEO of the Copyright Alliance. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The federal government is buying artificial intelligence technology at deeply discounted rates — part of an effort to bring agencies into modern times. And for companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, it’s a chance to get the government hooked on their products. On POLITICO Tech, Box CEO Aaron Levie joins host Steven Overly to discuss his own bargain for the Trump administration, why these deals are happening now and what an AI-powered government could look like. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With mounting concerns about AI leading to job losses, policymakers are grappling with how to prepare workers for major changes ahead — and the disruption that has already begun. Bharat Ramamurti was the deputy director of the National Economic Council under President Joe Biden and, in a recent opinion piece, he called AI-driven unemployment “the biggest economic issue no one is talking about.” On POLITICO Tech, Ramamurti joins host Steven Overly to delve into the AI-driven economic fears that could dominate the next election cycle. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Kara Tabor is an audio producer for POLITICO. Music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Intro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/fAomeYxofK/ Outro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/ctxDXxrE1W/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a senior policy adviser in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dean Ball helped write President Donald Trump’s recently released AI Action Plan. This week, Ball left the administration and plans to continue shaping AI policy from outside the White House. On POLITICO Tech, Ball joins host Steven Overly to discuss the government’s role in regulating artificial intelligence, Trump allowing China to buy American microchips, and whether the rush of AI investment will lead to a market bubble. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Intro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/0KEjTXFuS0/ Outro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/MHh0nBFuwg/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) was a tech adviser to President Barack Obama back when Washington was first grappling with artificial intelligence. Now, he’s introducing legislation this week with Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.) that aims to prepare the federal government for quantum computing, and how hackers could tap its speed and power to steal sensitive data. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly talks with Subramanyam about the cybersecurity risks that await in a post-quantum world. Plus, how he’s sizing up President Donald Trump’s new AI Action Plan. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Intro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/SuM3BuGKCm/ Outro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/LT5xCqqxIr/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin may garner lots of attention, but there are a growing number of tech companies now chasing commercial and defense opportunities in space. And they’re ratcheting up the competition for longtime contractors who sell to the federal government. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly sits down with Rob Geckle, the CEO of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, to discuss Silicon Valley breaking into the defense business, the U.S. space race with China and looming federal budget cuts. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Intro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/M3oIpqDzG6/ Outro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/0KEjTXFuS0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump unveiled his AI Action Plan, which effectively outlines his strategy for keeping the U.S. at the forefront of artificial intelligence. And for the most part, it’s a gift to Silicon Valley — slashing AI regulation at the federal level and trying to halt it in the states. But, one part of the plan will drag tech further into Trump’s war on wokeness. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly breaks down key provisions of the plan and how they could be implemented with Neil Chilson, the head of AI policy at the libertarian Abundance Institute. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Intro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/fAomeYxofK/ Outro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/ctxDXxrE1W/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly warned that artificial intelligence poses a danger to humanity. And as the U.S. and other governments turn away from regulating AI, the Catholic Church is emerging as a vocal skeptic on the world stage. One of the influential voices shaping those calls is Father Paolo Benanti, a professor and author who acts as the Vatican’s de facto adviser on AI. On POLITICO Tech, Benanti joins host Steven Overly to discuss ethical concerns surrounding AI and why he thinks regulators have a duty to make tough decisions. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Intro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/ctxDXxrE1W/ Outro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/baUrypCivw/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices