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PODCAST

Explain to Shane

Technology has become increasingly important to policy debates, but these debates won’t be productive without an understanding of how the technology in question works. AEI Visiting Fellow Shane Tews interviews tech industry experts to explain how the apps, services, and structures of today"s information technology systems work, and how they shape our social and economic life.

technology tech news

All Episodes

28:26

When Portability and Social Media Meet (with Matt...

Explain to Shane ·

2025/10/30

Bluesky Social is a social media app that was originally launched in 2019 on Twitter, before becoming an independent company in 2021. Bluesky’s mission is to offer a decentralized experience for users—where algorithms are not imposed on them, but they can choose their content preferences. The platform also highlights the importance of portability, enabling users to carry their social media ecosystems across different platforms. But what are the technical and social challenges to making true platform

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32:42

The Front Door to Your Digital Ecosystem: The Email...

Explain to Shane ·

2025/10/16

Email was created over 50 years ago—so why isn’t it secure? Sixty-eight percent of IT teams report a data breach in their organization caused by phishing in the last year. Even experts trained to spot the telltale signs can be fooled: Nearly 66 percent of IT leaders admit to clicking malicious links, and more than half of employees have done the same.Shane interviews Cy Khormaee and Ryan Luo, cofounders of AegisAI. Together, they bring over a decade of experience at Google. In this discussion, they

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50:25

Privacy and Governmental Surveillance (at the...

Explain to Shane ·

2025/10/02

As governments around the world expand their surveillance capabilities, strong encryption remains a cornerstone for protecting personal privacy, securing business data, and preserving digital rights. For consumers, it guards against identity theft and intrusive monitoring; for businesses, it protects intellectual property and builds trust across global markets. Yet, as governmental pressure to weaken encryption intensifies, critical questions arise: How do we preserve strong encryption standards

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35:37

The Digital Markets Act Is Undermining the App...

Explain to Shane ·

2025/09/18

The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is changing the app economy—and not for the better. This law aims to promote competition for European companies by restricting large online platforms’ dominance, which are mostly American. But how is this working in practice? What are the main DMA-related challenges app developers should be aware of? And does the DMA create more problems than it solves? To answer these questions, Shane interviews Graham Dufault, general counsel of the App Association

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38:52

DNS Abuse and the Economics of Cybercrime (with Karen...

Explain to Shane ·

2025/08/28

The Domain Name System (DNS)—the system that turns numerical IP addresses into easy-to-read website names—has become highly competitive at the registrar level, with potentially harmful consequences when it comes to leasing domain names for criminal activities. Today, the DNS infrastructure is increasingly exploited for cybercrimes, such as phishing and scams. Why is ignoring the identity of the parties behind the crime more than just a technical DNS infrastructure abuse issue?In this episode, Shane

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45:19

Interoperability, Data Access, and User Freedom (with...

Explain to Shane ·

2025/08/14

As AI systems become central to our digital lives, questions about openness, competition, and user agency are moving to the forefront, and discussions surrounding AI agents have placed system interoperability in the spotlight. Ensuring AI system interoperability isn’t simply a technical challenge; it will determine how innovation unfolds in the AI age. How will AI agents reshape our relationship to personal data? And why is interoperability central to user freedom?Shane Tews is joined by Matt

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41:41

Inside the World of Domains (with Ram Mohan)

Explain to Shane ·

2025/08/04

As the domain name system expands, how can the industry ensure that this growth supports a multilingual and inclusive internet? What responsibilities come with managing such a critical layer of the internet’s infrastructure in an era of rapid digital transformation?Shane Tews is joined by Ram Mohan, Chief Strategy Officer of Identity Digital, on the latest episode of Explain to Shane. They discuss how internationalized domain names and comprehensive policies can help create a more accessible web for

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34:26

Reclaiming the Airwaves (with Harold Furchtgott-Roth)

Explain to Shane ·

2025/07/24

Spectrum is a vital asset to America’s digital infrastructure, but who decides how this resource is distributed? As wireless demand accelerates, what is causing the United States to lag in spectrum policy and oversight? With the recent change in the Big Beautiful Bill to renew auction authority, how can we ensure that spectrum doesn’t become a roadblock to future innovation?In this episode, Shane is joined by Harold Furchtgott-Roth, former commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission and

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30:33

Adapting to the AI Era (with Bojan Tunguz and Brent...

Explain to Shane ·

2025/07/10

What does the rise of generative AI mean for how we educate, train, and prepare for the future of work? And despite AI’s growing capabilities, why have institutions been so slow to respond to these changes and what will help them catch up with the growth of AI in new industries and educational forums?On this episode of Explain to Shane, Shane Tews and AEI Senior Fellow Brent Orrell interview Bojan Tunguz, founder and CEO of TabulAI. They discuss why AI should be central to modern education and

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35:56

AI, Governments, and God (with Father Paolo Benanti)

Explain to Shane ·

2025/06/26

AI is reshaping our world as profoundly as past technological revolutions: the printing press, the Industrial Age, and the Digital Revolution. Its rapid advancement presents both extraordinary opportunities and significant risks. How will AI affect industries, national economies, and global governance? How can businesses and policymakers ensure AI remains a tool for human progress rather than unchecked disruption or vice?Join Shane Tews and Father Paolo Benanti, a theologian and ethicist for the

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36:44

Rethinking the Rules of Space (with Jay Schwarz)

Explain to Shane ·

2025/06/12

Space-based satellite networks are transforming global connectivity, extending access to even the most remote corners of the planet. The rules that govern these networks have never been more critical. How does satellite spectrum actually function? Why is there an increasing need to revise the regulations that oversee it? And what are the key components of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) proposed reforms?In this episode, Shane Tews is joined by Jay Schwarz, chief of the Federal

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39:40

Personalization, Privacy, and Policy (with Rob Sherman)

Explain to Shane ·

2025/05/15

As social media platforms integrate personalization technology, questions around privacy, transparency, and user choice are becoming increasingly pronounced. What does personalization really mean for users? How do platforms like Facebook and Instagram decide what content or ads you see? And how can companies ensure that personalization enhances user experience without compromising data privacy?In this episode, Shane Tews sits down with Rob Sherman, Vice President and Deputy Chief Privacy Officer for

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31:01

The Spectrum Exchange: Networks, Security, and...

Explain to Shane ·

2025/03/13

Amid debates over spectrum allocation, critical questions about national security, communication infrastructure, and connectivity continue to take center stage. What does spectrum sharing involve? How does spectrum sharing enhance the efficiency of limited spectrum resources? And what impact does it have on deploying emerging technologies like 5G and AI-driven networks?In this episode, Shane Tews and Peter Rysavy explore spectrum management challenges, sharing opportunities, and technological

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33:06

The Future of the Enterprise Browser

Explain to Shane ·

2025/02/13

Web browsers are built for convenience—prioritizing speed, compatibility, and ease of use. But what happens when a browser isn’t for just an individual user but for an entire enterprise? In today’s cybersecurity landscape, where threats are constant and data breaches can be catastrophic, organizations need more than just a traditional browser. They need a secure enterprise browser designed to protect corporate data, enforce security policies, and seamlessly integrate with existing IT frameworks

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31:28

Taking on DMV Bureaucracy (with Shane Bigelow)

Explain to Shane ·

2025/01/16

Digital solutions for vehicle titling and registration are transforming how DMVs operate, replacing slow bureaucratic processes with efficient blockchain-based systems. Through successful partnerships with state governments, companies offering these digital services have demonstrated significant time and cost savings in vehicle-related transactions. This proven track record in modernizing DMV operations creates opportunities to expand similar technological solutions across other government

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46:56

The Fight against Drug Shortages (with Laura Bray)

Explain to Shane ·

2024/12/17

The United States faces a critical drug shortage crisis every day that jeopardizes patient care across medical specialties. The problem is staggering: 83 percent of oncologists cannot prescribe their preferred chemotherapy treatments, and a shocking 96 percent of these drug shortages stem from human manufacturing issues. In 2023, drug shortages reached a 10-year high, with 309 critical medications in short supply.These shortages have profound real-world consequences, affecting thousands of patients

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32:42

Navigating India's Digital Competition Landscape...

Explain to Shane ·

2024/12/05

As India's economic landscape evolves amid population growth, crafting regulations that foster progress is critical. But how can India leverage its advanced digital infrastructure and young workforce to drive innovation and create sustainable job opportunities? What regulatory reforms could help create an environment that encourages start-up growth and technological entrepreneurship? And how do proposed reforms like the draft Digital Competition Bill shape up? In this conversation, Shane Tews is

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29:34

AI and the Future of Civics (with Adam Hinds, Michael...

Explain to Shane ·

2024/11/21

In an era when civic literacy is at concerning lows, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate’s Senate Immersion Module (SIM) is revolutionizing civic education by transforming students into senators for a day, complete with an innovative AI policy simulation. What can experiential learning reveal about students’ capacity to engage with complex policy issues? And how does incorporating emerging topics like AI regulation into civic education help students conceptualize real-world

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29:35

The Power of Pivots: How Smart Companies Change the...

Explain to Shane ·

2024/11/07

What separates the companies that successfully pivot from those that become cautionary tales in business history? How do government regulations either foster or hinder innovation in today’s tech landscape? And what can business leaders learn from the countless pivots that shaped America’s tech dominance? Joining me to address these questions, which he unpacked in his new book, Pivot or Die: How Leaders Thrive When Everything Changes, is Gary Shapiro. Gary is an author, a lobbyist, and the CEO of the

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25:18

The Future of Small Business Financing

Explain to Shane ·

2024/10/03

How is technology revolutionizing access to capital for small businesses? What challenges do these businesses face in securing funding? And what broader role does technology play in improving their access to capital?On the latest episode of Explain to Shane, Shane interviews Anthony Matos, CEO and cofounder of Shubox, a platform designed to help small businesses access capital through the innovative use of data and AI. They discuss how innovative platforms like Shubox leverage AI and alternative

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132 results

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