The Hill & Valley Forum Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Hill & Valley Forum: Tom Mueller, Ken Calvert, Delian Asparouhov on the Second Space Race May 15, 2024

Show notes

Delian Asparouhov, Partner at Founders Fund and Co-Founder at Varda Space brings together Tom Mueller, Founder at Impulse Space, and Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA) to discuss the urgency of why we are diving into the second space race. In 1996, the United States developed the ramjet engine for the first hypersonic missiles reaching Mach 9. In the summer of 2021, China demonstrated a production-ready boost glide hypersonic missile system. In conjunction, reports have stated that Russia is preparing to place a 1-megaton bomb in low earth orbit. This conversation covers the forces shaping the second space race, America’s lunar ambitions, and the critical technologies enabling space commerce and defense.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@zebulgar

@lrocket

@KenCalvert

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Lunar Ambitions

(00:37) The new space race

(01:49) Identifying key players in the space race and the role of China

(02:48) The future of space: propulsion, AI, and the economy

(05:38) Government and commercial sector collaboration in space

(07:07) Addressing threats: Russia's space ambitions and global security

(09:23) The Importance of space for military and civilian life

(10:24) Boosting U.S. space capabilities

(15:16) The Moon: the ultimate high ground in space

(22:22) Collaboration and competition: shaping the future of space

(26:31) Regulatory challenges and the future of space exploration

Hill & Valley Forum: Robert Silvers, Nand Mulchandani, Kyrsten Sinema on America's Readiness for an AI Pearl Harbor May 15, 2024

Show notes

Nand Mulchandani, CTO of the CIA and Rob Silvers, Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy and Plans of the DHS, join Senator Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) to discuss the complete overhaul of the most private agency in the United States. With his Silicon Valley background at multiple unicorn startups, Mulchandani is re-architecting every facet of the CIA to partner and keep pace with Silicon Valley. Silvers and Nand discuss the urgent need to not just lower barriers to partnerships between the private and public sectors, but to completely dissolve them.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuFcOnbt1B8

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@SenatorSinema

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Dissolving barriers between government and industry in AI

(01:28) Nand Mulchandani, CTO of the CIA on AI's Impact on National Security

(04:14) Rob Silvers on future warfare and defense strategies

(05:21) Competitive edge in AI

(06:35) China's digital battlefield preparations and US response

(09:08) The ‘Infinite Race’ with China

(12:06) Government's role in accelerating AI integration and innovation

(19:47) Shaping the future of AI in government

(21:37) How does government adjust to the iteration cycles required in the private markets?

(27:38) The continuous race in AI innovation

Hill & Valley Forum: House Speaker Mike Johnson's Closing Remarks May 15, 2024

Show notes

Hill & Valley Forum: House AI Task Force Chairman Jay Obernolte May 15, 2024

Show notes

House Representative Jay Obernolte (R-CA) discusses pivoting from his background in computer science to entering congress, where he now leads the House AI Task force. Tasked with creating a regulatory framework for AI by year's end, Obernolte addresses the balance between mitigating AI's risks and enabling its beneficial uses, critical for economic competitiveness and national security. Obernolte criticizes the European Union's approach to AI regulation, proposing instead a focus on reducing consumer harms and considering whether existing sectoral regulators could regulate AI effectively. Highlighting AI's potential in increasing worker productivity, Obernolte makes a case that this is vital for US prosperity, urging collective effort in advancing AI.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. Guests included Venture Capitalists Vinod Khosla, Joe Lonsdale, and Roelof Botha, tech CEOs Alex Karp (Palantir) and Alex Wang (Scale AI) as well as politicians such as house speaker Mike Johnson, Senators Todd Young, and Cory Booker. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be5AGR82MaY

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@JayObernolte

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) A personal journey into AI and politics

(02:10) Leading the AI task force

(02:33) The Challenge of Regulating AI: A federal framework

(03:38) Balancing AI Regulation and innovation

(04:38) Sectoral regulation vs. new agency for AI

(07:17) International AI ambitions and security concerns

(10:37) The importance of continuing AI development

(11:43) Optimism for AI's Impact on worker productivity and economy

(12:51) A push for more STEM education

Hill & Valley Forum: House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik May 15, 2024

Show notes

House Republican Elise Stefanik discusses the importance of AI in national security, acknowledges Palantir's support for Israel, and outlines the U.S.'s efforts to maintain technical superiority. She highlights legislation against TikTok and CCP-controlled drones, her role in establishing the National Security AI Commission, the significance of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center and the Chief Digital and AI Office, and the need for collaboration between the Pentagon and the private sector. Stefanik also criticizes the Air Force's decision to end the Defense Ventures Fellowship Program and announces plans to reconstitute a venture DOD fellowship program in the National Defense Authorization Act.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. Guests included Venture Capitalists Vinod Khosla, Joe Lonsdale, and Roelof Botha, tech CEOs Alex Karp (Palantir) and Alex Wang (Scale AI) as well as politicians such as house speaker Mike Johnson, Senators Todd Young, and Cory Booker. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON7nl08XYZU&t=3s

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@EliseStefanik

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Opening Remarks at the 2024 Hill and Valley Conference

(00:34) The critical role of AI in national security

(01:57) Legislative efforts

(03:14) Challenges and opportunities in AI Development

(03:57) Announcing a new Venture DOD Fellowship Program

(04:55) Closing Remarks

Hill & Valley Forum: Vinod Khosla, Jacob Helberg, and Senator Todd Young on Perspectives on the US-China Techno-Economic War & the National Security Implications of AI May 13, 2024

Show notes

Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures, and Senator Todd Young (R-IN) dive straight into the most pressing national security concerns regarding the threat of AI. In this techno-economic race, Vinod and Senator Young discuss how the winner will have economic and military control over Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America. A technology capable of that much influence is described as being comparable to an atomic bomb. If AI is viewed through the lens of an atomic bomb, should the U.S. be forming a new Manhattan Project? Would you open source the Manhattan Project? This session is hosted by Jacob Helberg.

The session concludes with a message from the Vice President-Elect of Taiwan, discussing the importance of Taiwan-U.S. collaboration in defense and technology to counteract authoritarian expansion.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Cnak2WXkc

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@vkhosla (Vinod)

@SenToddYoung (Todd)

@jacobhelberg (Jacob)

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) The Urgency of AI in the US-China Techno-Economic War

(01:19) AI's Role in Modern Warfare and Global Influence

(03:15) The Future of AI-Enabled Conflict

(08:38) Global AI Supply Chain and National Security Concerns

(14:51) Open Source vs. Closed Model Debate in AI Development

(20:02) Special Address: Taiwan's Role in Global Technology and Security

Palmer Luckey of Anduril Industries on next gen DefenseTech, China, and U.S. Policy Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

The Hill & Valley podcast gives you an insider's look into tech and government, hearing from founders and operators of generational tech companies, elected representatives and policymakers, and more. The podcast is hosted by the co-hosts of The Hill & Valley Forum: Author and Commissioner of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission Jacob Helberg, Partner at Founders Fund and Founder of Varda Delian Asparouhov, and Principal at 137 Ventures Christian Garrett.

For our debut episode, we are joined by Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries and Oculus VR.

The Hill & Valley podcast is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:10) Shifting dynamics between the government and Silicon Valley since Palmer started Anduril Industries

(06:30) Biggest factors contributing to new demand for defense technology

(08:00) Evolving reaction of tech investors and talent to defense technology

(13:42) Working with the U.S. Department of Defense

(18:18) Exporting strategic technology to China: patents, AI, sensor fusion

(21:15) How can more tech companies compete for DoD contracts?

(24:00) Lobbying

(25:00) Building Anduril Industries on first principles