Washington AI Network is a dynamic bipartisan forum to highlight the conversations about artificial intelligence taking place in official Washington. We feature diverse stakeholders from industry, government, and civil society to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and responsible development and deployment of AI technologies as they pertain to public policy, venture capital, AI ethics, and funding for AI innovation. Join host Tammy Haddad to hear top AI experts and thought leaders discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by AI. Brought to you by Haddad Media.
41: Europe’s AI Revolution and Climate Solutions in Artificial Intelligence: Thaima Samman, President of the European Network for Women in Leadership, and Dr. Sasha Luccioni, AI and Climate Lead at Hugging Face, at the No AI Without Women Conference
Dec 27, 2024
Show notes
In this special episode recorded at the Élysée Palace in Paris, host Tammy Haddad speaks with two female forces at the forefront of AI and sustainability. Thaima Samman, president of the European Network for Women in Leadership and a partner at SAMMAN Law and Corporate Affairs, offers an inside look at Europe’s bold attempt to regulate AI while still stoking innovation—and shows why empowering women in tech is non-negotiable for true progress. Dr. Sasha Luccioni, AI and climate lead at Hugging Face and a Time100 AI honoree, discusses the environmental challenges linked to AI, along with strategies for developing and deploying AI solutions to spur climate action and encourage long-term sustainability. The conversation is a preview of February’s AI Action Summit, which will bring together business leaders, policymakers, researchers, and experts to explore the future of AI—focusing especially on how to incorporate inclusivity, ethics, and sustainability into its development.
40: Navigating Global AI Policy from Paris: UNESCO U.S. Ambassador Courtney O’Donnell and OECD U.S. Ambassador Sean Patrick Maloney on AI, Equity, and Global Collaboration
Dec 23, 2024
Show notesTammy Haddad interviews Courtney O’Donnell, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Sean Patrick Maloney, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), for a deep dive into AI’s transformative impact from Paris. O’Donnell shares UNESCO’s initiatives in using AI to advance global education, protect cultural heritage, and preserve indigenous languages, emphasizing a human-centered approach. Maloney outlines the OECD’s pivotal role in fostering multilateral AI cooperation, promoting inclusivity, and embedding ethical principles into AI frameworks. They address critical topics, including AI’s energy demands, healthcare advancements like AI-powered tuberculosis diagnostics in India, and the urgency of global collaboration to ensure equitable access to AI’s benefits.
39: André Loesekrug-Pietri, chairman and scientific director of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI), on the upcoming Paris AI Action Summit, driving Europe to harness innovation, and AI’s role in tackling global challenges
Dec 18, 2024
Show notes
In this episode, André Loesekrug-Pietri, chairman of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI), and General Jean-Paul Paloméros, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, join host Tammy Haddad to discuss AI’s transformative impact on science, deep tech, and Europe’s key role. Loesekrug-Pietri highlights JEDI’s upcoming AI Action Summit challenge on agricultural carbon storage, the need for sustainable AI innovation, and warns of the dangers of not engaging with China on AI. Paloméros shares his perspective on AI’s role in defense and addresses the current complex global challenges.
38: Anne Bouverot, France’s Special Envoy for Artificial Intelligence, on the upcoming AI Action Summit, women in AI, and global collaboration, and AI’s transformative effect on the workforce
Dec 07, 2024
Show notesAnne Bouverot, France’s Special Envoy for AI, joins host Tammy Haddad to discuss the highly anticipated 2025 AI Action Summit, which aims to unite global leaders and innovators in shaping the future of AI. Recorded at STATION F in Paris, the conversation dives into pressing issues such as AI’s impact on climate change, its transformative effects on the workforce, and the need for inclusivity and equity in its development. Bouverot emphasizes the summit’s mission to balance AI’s risks and opportunities while fostering trust through scientific consensus.
37: Christopher Kirchhoff, co-founder of the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and co-author of “Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Future of War”
Nov 27, 2024
Show notesChristopher Kirchhoff, co-author of “Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Future of War,” and a founding figure of the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), joins host Tammy Haddad to explore the military's race to integrate cutting-edge technology. From key breakthroughs in AI and autonomous systems to the hurdles of bureaucracy and global tech rivalry, Kirchhoff delivers an important history lesson on defense technology and an insider’s perspective on the dangers ahead. He discusses his work on AI safety, and offers analysis of Anthropic, OpenAI, and all the frontier labs.
36: Srikar Varadaraj, founder and CEO of Eternis, on redefining digital identity in the age of AI
Nov 15, 2024
Show notesSrikar Varadaraj, founder and CEO of Eternis, joins host Tammy Haddad to discuss the need to create trustworthy, secure, and authenticated digital identities as AI labs race towards AGI. Varadaraj, who previously co-founded Spectral for developing a fair credit-scoring mechanism, calls for a future where every human has a top-level AI agent to perform arbitrary tasks – all while protecting personal agency – so that humans own and control their identities.
35: NVIDIA’s Rev Lebaredian on Building Robot Brains and the Promise of Physical Artificial Intelligence
Oct 30, 2024
Show notesRev Lebaredian, vice president of Omniverse and Simulation Technology at NVIDIA, joins Tammy Haddad to discuss NVIDIA’s role in advancing robot brains, the industry's race toward physical AI, competition in the AI robotics space, and his journey from creating computer graphics for Hollywood films to leading AI-driven robotics technology at NVIDIA.
34: David Marchick, Dean of American University’s Kogod School of Business, on AI in business and higher education
Oct 25, 2024
Show notesDavid Marchick brings his experience in law, finance, and government to his role as dean of American University’s Kogod School of Business. In this episode, host Tammy Haddad interviews Marchick, on the role of AI and technology in business education. As higher education’s approach on AI evolves, Marchick highlights how Kogod is embedding AI instruction into every part of the school’s core curriculum to drive innovation and success in the classroom and beyond.
33: Arati Prabhakar, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Oct 23, 2024
Show notes
OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar has been waving the flag on the importance of federal research and development to drive American innovation. In this episode, host Tammy Haddad interviews Prabhakar on her background in technology and government, the White House’s focus on increasing R&D for AI and national security, and how she believes science and technology will continue driving U.S. competitiveness around the world.
32: Ted Leonsis and Grant Verstandig on healthcare in the age of AI
Oct 15, 2024
Show notesTed Leonsis, Revolution Growth partner, Zephyr AI investor, and Monumental Sports owner, and Grant Verstandig, co-founder and executive chairman of Zephyr AI and Red Cell Partners, join host Tammy Haddad to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming the patient-doctor relationship by leveraging AI to analyze data, identify patterns, improve decision-making, and enhance patient outcomes. Leonsis and Verstandig also highlight the importance of maintaining America’s global competitiveness by mitigating the China threat and addressing AI’s energy needs with nuclear power.
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