Podcasts about microsoft president brad smith

Satya Nadella’s offhand remark at Build, about Elon Musk once interning at Microsoft, sparked a mystery that sent us digging through biographies and transcripts in search of confirmation. We also break down Microsoft’s new AI moves, announced this week at the company's Build developer conference, and consider what its agentic ambitions mean for tech jobs and the economy. Plus, a sharp warning from Microsoft President Brad Smith on Washington state’s fading focus on innovation. RELATED STORIES Elon and Satya, together again: Microsoft brings Musk’s xAI models to Azure, despite OpenAI feud Microsoft expands AI roster with Anthropic and xAI integrations, looking beyond OpenAI alliance Businessweek: Microsoft’s CEO on How AI Will Remake Every Company, Including His Washington state cuts back economic development program amid criticism of innovation approach ‘We better wake up’: Microsoft’s Brad Smith sounds alarm as state enacts controversial tax plan Washington governor approves new business taxes, acknowledges potential ‘unintended consequences’ With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Edited by Curt Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The role of electricians is becoming increasingly vital in the rapidly evolving AI industry, as highlighted in a recent Senate hearing where tech leaders emphasized the need for a skilled electrical workforce to support the infrastructure of data centers and advanced manufacturing. Microsoft President Brad Smith noted the potential demand for hundreds of thousands more electricians in the coming decade, making vocational training programs like those offered by InterCoast Colleges essential for preparing individuals to enter this growing field. This training not only equips students with practical skills but also positions them to contribute to innovations that drive the future of technology.This podcast is part of the InterCoast Media Network Check our certificate training programs HERECheck our Degrees HEREFollow us:FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTubeLinkedIn

On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we talk with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella about the company's 50th anniversary, and where it's headed from here. Plus, highlights from Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event in Redmond, which featured a rare joint appearance by Nadella with former leaders Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. The day also reflected Microsoft's role in an increasingly complex global landscape, with a CNBC interview focusing in part on the impact of tariffs on the company and the global economy, and a protest outside the event condemning the use of the company’s technologies to support Israel in the ongoing war in Gaza. Related coverage: Inside Microsoft’s 50th: Iconic moments, strong memories, and the realities of the outside world Gates, Ballmer, Nadella and Copilot: Microsoft CEOs past and present engage in podcast chat with AI Inside the Microsoft Archives: How the tech giant preserves, shares, and learns from its history Microsoft@50 is an independent GeekWire editorial project supported by Accenture. More in GeekWire’s Microsoft@50 series AI Dreams: Microsoft@50, Chapter 1 Microsoft President Brad Smith on AI, global turmoil, and key issues facing the tech giant at 50 Microsoft’s startup story: How the company became a tech giant, and what we can learn from it today A new era for Windows: Can Microsoft’s longtime engine power another tech revolution? ‘The Road Ahead’ at 30: What Bill Gates’ classic book about the future says about the world today Bill Gates on Microsoft at 50, and what’s next for AI and innovation More: Microsoft@50See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to the white-collar workforce, alarm bells are starting to go off. The tech industry is seeing widespread layoffs, and a lot of those laid off workers are struggling to find new gigs. Some experts speculate that these are early signs of AI moving into the workforce and replacing jobs. Microsoft is one company at the center of this debate, so Monica sat down with its president Brad Smith to ask: is AI already taking our jobs? And if so, what can we do about it? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes. Do you have a question about the economy that you want us to answer? Or an idea for a future episode? Email us at booming@kuow.org. Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producer is Lucy Soucek. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast, as part of our Microsoft@50 special series, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer reflects on his remarkable tenure at the company he helped shape for more than three decades. We talk about his early days working alongside Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the biggest mistake during his tenure, and his take on the company these days as its largest shareholder. He also opens up about his post-Microsoft pursuits — from his data-driven mission with USAFacts to transforming the NBA fan experience with the L.A. Clippers. And we hear his message for his former Microsoft colleagues. Ballmer's conversation with GeekWire's Todd Bishop was recorded live in front of an audience at GeekWire's Microsoft@50 event at Town Hall Seattle, March 20, 2025. Microsoft@50 is an independent GeekWire editorial project supported by Accenture. More in GeekWire’s Microsoft@50 series AI Dreams: Microsoft@50, Chapter 1 Microsoft President Brad Smith on AI, global turmoil, and key issues facing the tech giant at 50 Microsoft’s startup story: How the company became a tech giant, and what we can learn from it today A new era for Windows: Can Microsoft’s longtime engine power another tech revolution? ‘The Road Ahead’ at 30: What Bill Gates’ classic book about the future says about the world today Bill Gates on Microsoft at 50, and what’s next for AI and innovation More: Microsoft@50See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the GeekWire Podcast: A conversation with Microsoft President Brad Smith, on stage at GeekWire’s Microsoft@50 event this week at Town Hall Seattle, discussing the company’s anniversary and what’s next for the industry and the world. Related Links Microsoft@50 recap: Company faithful mark first 50 years and look to future at GeekWire event Microsoft president: Proposed Washington state business taxes would weaken tech sector Links discussed in the podcast intro: Using AI to uncover allegations in the JFK files of the CIA secretly funding a series of spy novels to influence public opinion in the 1960s. Fireballs, foxholes, and cryogenic suspension: Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman’s greatest quips With GeekWire co-founder Todd BishopSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President-elect Donald Trump taps X owner and Tesla CEO Elon to take leadership of the new ‘department of government efficiency', alongside taking his pick of the new defence and intelligence heads. U.S. market majors snap their post-election winning streak, while Treasury yields spike and the dollar index hits a 6-months high as investors brace for another Trump administration. Meanwhile, Siemens Energy raises its mid-term outlook after reporting a record order backlog of €123 billion, boosted by a turnaround at turbine unite Gamesa. In Lisbon, global tech leaders gather at the annual Web Summit with the prospect of looser regulations and heightened trade tensions under President-elect Trump. There, Microsoft President Brad Smith tells CNBC that Europe remains key for the company. Germany prepares for a snap election on February 23rd after the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition – with Economy minister Robert Habeck saying Berlin still remains a reliable partner.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paris Marx is joined by Sasha Luccioni to discuss the catastrophic environmental costs of the generative AI being increasing shoved into every tech product we touch. Sasha Luccioni is an artificial intelligence researcher and Climate Lead at Hugging Face.Tech Won't Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry.Also mentioned in this episode:Sasha published a paper looking at the climate impacts of generative AI.Paris wrote about the increased emissions at Google and Microsoft, and the consequences of the growing data center buildout.Google's emissions are up 48% in five years, while Microsoft's are up 30% between 2020 and 2023.Bill Gates is telling governments not to “go overboard” with concerns about AI energy use. He's been much more active in Microsoft's AI strategizing than he's admitted publicly.Microsoft President Brad Smith says its carbon “moonshot” is much farther away because of generative AI. The company is accelerating its data center construction plans.Sam Altman says we can geoengineer the planet if we can't develop an energy breakthrough to power AI.Support the Show.

The European Commission announced that Microsoft might have violated antitrust rules by bundling its Teams app with Office 365 and Microsoft 365 software, potentially restricting competition by not providing customers a choice. Concerns were raised that this practice could give Teams an unfair advantage over competing messaging apps by limiting their ability to integrate with Microsoft's software. Margrethe Vestager, the commission's Executive Vice President for competition policy, stressed the need for competition to foster innovation. Microsoft previously offered Teams-free software versions for European customers, yet these steps did not fully address the commission's concerns. Microsoft President Brad Smith expressed willingness to find solutions. The investigation began in July 2023 after complaints from Slack Technologies and Alfaview. Slack's parent company, Salesforce, viewed the EU's statement as a move towards restoring competition and innovation. Microsoft could face a fine of up to 10% of its annual global revenue or be required to implement remedies.Learn more on this news visit us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a big week for cybersecurity for Seattle's tech giants. Microsoft President Brad Smith was in Washington D.C., testifying before the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee about the Redmond company's security challenges. Listen for highlights at the end of the show.  Meanwhile, Amazon held its annual AWS re:Inforce cloud security conference in Philadelphia.The rise of AI has added some big new wrinkles to the issue of cybersecurity, and AI was one of the main topics in a conversation that I had a few weeks ago with one of the people who keynoted the AWS event this week, Steve Schmidt, Amazon's chief security officer. Hosted by Todd Bishop; edited by Curt Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Supreme Court rules abortion pill mifepristone will still be available, Donald Trump meets House and Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill, President Biden meets Ukrainian President Zelensky at G7 Summit in Italy, FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker testifies before a Senate committee about agreement with Boeing to improve safety, Microsoft President Brad Smith goes before a House committee about last year's Chinese hack that compromise U.S. government agency email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft's recent push to capitalize on artificial intelligence has made it the world's most valuable company. But according to new figures, that ambition is coming  at the expense of its climate goals. In 2020, the company pledged to be carbon-negative by the end of the decade. Instead, its emissions rose 30% between 2020 and 2023. Microsoft President Brad Smith says the company isn't giving up on its green goals — and that the good AI can do for the world will outweigh its environmental impact.  Akshat tells Zero producer Mythili Rao about his conversation with Smith, and how other tech giants will be making similar calculations. Explore further: Past episode  with BNEF's Jenny Chase on how to triple renewable energy by 2030 Past episode with Notre Dame professor Emily Grubert about the possibility of carbon capture Past episode with Electra CEO Sandeep Nijhawan on making zero emissions steel Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Dina Bass, and Alicia Clanton. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, we discuss Microsoft President Brad Smith's upcoming testimony before Congress regarding security shortcomings (source: https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/microsoft-president-congressional-hearing/716847/), dive into the privacy concerns surrounding Windows 11's new Recall feature (source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2024/05/22/windows-recall-security-privacy/), and detail Rockwell Automation's advisory on disconnecting internet-facing ICS devices amid rising cyber threats (source: https://thehackernews.com/2024/05/rockwell-advises-disconnecting-internet.html). 00:00 Introducing Windows 11's Recall Feature: A Privacy Concern? 01:11 The Risks and Protections Against Windows 11's Recall Feature 04:44 Microsoft's Response to Security Breaches and Future Plans 06:41 Advisory on Industrial Control SystemsAmid Cyber Threats 07:36 Wrapping Up and How to Stay Connected Tags List Microsoft, Brad Smith, Cybersecurity, Congress, Windows, Recall, AI, cybercriminals, Rockwell Automation, Industrial control systems, Cyber threats, Vulnerabilities Search Phrases Microsoft cybersecurity measures Brad Smith congressional testimony Impact of recent cyberattacks on Microsoft Security risks of Windows Recall feature Protecting against cyber intrusions Rockwell Automation cybersecurity advice Industrial control systems cyber threats Geopolitical tensions and cyber vulnerabilities Scanning for public-facing assets in cybersecurity Mitigating cyber risks in industrial control systems may23 Microsoft windows has introduced a new feature in windows 11 powered machines called recall, which takes screenshots of your open applications, every couple of seconds and uses AI to analyze them. This is obviously stirring fears among security experts who are warning that it could become a goldmine for cybercriminals if misused. How can users protect themselves from these potential security and privacy risks posed by windows. Recall. Speaking of Microsoft. On June 13th, Microsoft president Brad Smith will face Congress to address a cascade of security failures. That led to their recent cyber intrusions. And finally Rockwell automation is advising urgent disconnects of internet facing industrial control systems, amid rising cyber threats, linked to geopolitical tensions and exploited vulnerabilities in these ICS devices. . What immediate actions can administrators take? To not only check if their devices are publicly accessible, but also remediate it. You're listening to the daily decrypt. Hey, no press is bad. Press. And today. Microsoft windows is getting a lot of press. So just recently, Microsoft has introduced a new feature called recall in windows 11. That captures screenshots every few seconds. And then uses AI. To search through these screenshots and interact with specific content. Essentially indexing, everything that you do on your computer. This could be very useful for those of us like myself who have a terrible memory. And want to remember what we were just doing. Users can go in and search through the, their history on their computer to see, Hey, what was I doing? 10 minutes ago that I need to continue doing? Sure. Sounds great. You know, who else can search through your whole history? Anyone who's compromised your system. So this feature can be disabled. Which is great. You can also specify apps that you want to exclude from this. So if that app is open, it will stop taking screenshots. But what's key to understand is that if you're compromised, an attacker can covertly enable this feature using PowerShell. And so once they have that enabled, they can just sit back and wait. For you to do something that jeopardizes your privacy, like entering your social security number. See what banks you use. Maybe use those screenshots to extort you, maybe you're doing something you wouldn't like. Everybody in the world to know the attacker gets a hold of screenshots of you doing it. And then black males use, so they don't release them. The possibilities are endless for an attacker. And Microsoft claims that the AI uses to analyze these screenshots does not need an external connection it's built into the computer. And the images that it's taking of your pick of your computer are not being uploaded. To Microsoft servers. Or anywhere, but. Who knows what will happen in the future. Nobody who's listening to this podcast. Maybe one or two of you are good about reading privacy notifications, especially on windows. That thing is like a thousand pages long. So who knows if they decide they want to start uploading these images? To use them to train future AI models or whatever, or maybe they build in a ticker when you install windows 11, that says you may share my data. And having just installed windows 11. On a PC yesterday. I think there, I was so shocked at how many little tickers were automatically enabled. That. Gave windows permissions to see. Everything that I do on my computer. And to upload it, like send logs, send crash reports. Use my information to tailor my advertisements. I get in windows, stop sending me advertisements in windows. So this would just be another tick in the sea of ticks. Right? Now I'm already an entirely macOS person. Except for that windows machine. I had to spin up to do some virtualization stuff for school. But in my opinion, this is enough to switch away from Microsoft. And it's funny because Microsoft under all this scrutiny for all their recent security breaches has said, they're going to prioritize security over new feature enhancements. Yet here we are. There's no way I can disable this locally, but. It can be enabled using PowerShell, and that's probably much easier to do than install a key logger and export data. ' cause keyloggers will be picked up by Microsoft defender, but this tool that's enabled on your computer, that Microsoft built. Won't be picked up by defender. Nothing's going to alert you. If it gets covertly turned on by a threat actor. So, I don't know what to tell you guys. If you're tech savvy, you can go in and either enable alerts using wind event log. Or you can disable scripts. From being run through PowerShell. But other than that, You just got to cross your fingers, that you're not compromised. So beef up your endpoint security game.. We're in the midst of history being made people on June 13th, Microsoft president. Will testify before the house committee on Homeland security about its recent cyber attacks. And security lapses. This is crucial for understanding gaps in current security, frameworks, and potential improvements. And this is because Microsoft has been hit a couple of times in recent history with pretty severe cyber attacks. And it might seem like these attacks are relatively benign in regards to the amount of people it affects. But think about it. Everyone uses Microsoft, even myself in a, in a purely macro S environment. Might use Excel or word or SharePoint. Or teams or. I don't use teams, but it's possible or whatever Microsoft has ingrained itself into our lives. And this, these specific attacks have affected over 22 enterprise organizations. And over 500 individuals and including key United States officials. Because the United States government loves Microsoft. So even if the scale of the breach is relatively small compared to other companies, The spread of its effect is much wider than other companies because everyone uses Microsoft. Uh, and we all know Microsoft has started to. Put into place, certain security measures. Like I know they're tying their executive salaries to security now. I'm not entirely sure the details on that. But they've launched the secure future initiative and they're planning to restructure their entire cybersecurity governance model. Which is great for Microsoft, but also can serve as a blueprint for other. Big to medium-sized organizations to follow. In fact at the recent RSA conference, cybersecurity experts expressed optimism about Microsoft's overhaul. Specifically the link between security and executive compensation. And finally Rockwell automation advises customers to disconnect all industrial control systems. Not meant to be connected to the public facing internet. This is due to heightened geopolitical tensions and global adversarial cyber activity. As well as multiple CVE vulnerabilities with pretty high ratings, I see a 9.8 9.0. Another 9.8 and a 10.0. That are being exploited in the wild. Now of course, if you have to have. Your ICS facing the internet, do your best to patch it, do your best to secure it. But obviously you can't take that off the internet. But what we're mostly worried about is accidentally public facing ICS is. And even if you're pretty sure none of your control systems are publicly facing. Go ahead and check out. Show Dan census. Or even end map to double check. Should be pretty quick. Make sure nothing's public facing that you don't intend. On being public facing. This has been the Daily Decrypt. If you found your key to unlocking the digital domain, show your support with a rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It truly helps us stand at the frontier of cyber news. Don't forget to connect on Instagram or catch our episodes on YouTube. Until next time, keep your data safe and your curiosity alive.

The UK's reputation as a global investment destination hit rock bottom last April, when Microsoft President Brad Smith said The European Union was a more attractive place to start a business.Yet 10 months later, A host of FTSE100 CEOs tell us confidence is recovering. And for all the talk of British decline, official figures suggest the UK remains the top investment destination after the US, trumping even China.Our Bloomberg Radio anchor Caroline Hepker has spent the past two months talking to Britain's business elite. Here's what they told her. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has played down suggestions that the U.S. economy may still enjoy a soft landing, saying investor optimism is mis-placed. With A.I. dominating the agenda at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, we hear from Microsoft President Brad Smith who says the new technology is transformative and here to stay. In Japan, January inflation slowed which affected the BoJ's 2 per cent target and supported the case for the central bank to end negative interest rates in the coming months. Chinese fast fashion company Shein has signalled it may list in London rather than on Wall Street following increased SEC concerns about the firm in the U.S. In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron hosts Western leaders, pledging to support Ukraine and also not ruling out the possibility of European boots on the ground. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will Bain looks back at some of the highlights from Wake Up To Money in 2023. There's the story of the takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft including an interview with the Microsoft President Brad Smith which made headlines around the world. Former England and Manchester United footballer Gary Neville explained why he's investing in property and the UK boss of Google Debbie Weinstein told us how AI is changing the world.

AI for Everyone:Early release. We usually drop episodes on a Sunday morning, but the UK AI Safety Summit just concluded and we felt that we needed to give you all the updates straight away. Uncover the World of AI with Myles Dhillon Artificial Intelligence can feel like an intricate labyrinth, especially with AI, Chat GPT, and Machine Learning consistently making headlines. Are you concerned about falling behind? Well, you're not alone! I'm Myles Dhillon, a non-tech enthusiast deeply fascinated by AI's transformative impact on our lives.Join me as I break down the week's top AI news, covering Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Large Language Models (LLM), and updates from tech giants like Apple, Google, OpenAI, Tesla, and Microsoft. In just 10 minutes, I'll provide you with a concise, digestible update, ensuring you stay informed without sifting through lengthy headlines.Whether you're a tech novice or a seasoned AI enthusiast, 'AI for Everyone' is your shortcut to comprehending the ever-evolving AI landscape. Subscribe now to join the AI conversation!UK AI Safety Summit:Inside the UK AI Safety Summit Get a front-row seat to the UK AI Safety Summit where the biggest names in AI gathered. Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis from Google DeepMind, and more were in attendance. The lineup included heavyweights like Microsoft President Brad Smith, Meta AI's Yann LeCun and Nick Clegg, and many other luminaries from Amazon, OpenAI, Nvidia, IBM, and beyond.Discover the details of the 'Bletchley Declaration' that marks a historic milestone in international AI governance. The US, EU, China, and over 25 countries are now united in overseeing AI risks. Explore the implications of this collaboration and the optimism it brings for the future.Elon Musk's 80/20 perspective on AI's benefits and dangers and the potential for global AI cooperation will be explored. Stay informed about the event that shapes the AI landscape worldwide.Asteroid Mining:Unveiling the Space Resources Frontier SpaceX is gearing up to launch a mission to the Moon's surface as part of the Artemis program. Simultaneously, the smaller spacecraft, Brokkr-2, created by Astroforge, is on its way to an asteroid. Discover the exciting world of asteroid mining and its potential to revolutionize resource acquisition.Astroforge recently completed a successful test-fire of the rockets crucial for the Brokkr-2 mission, bringing us closer to the first private mission beyond Earth and the Moon.As Earth's resources become scarcer and the demand for metals soars, asteroids in our solar system hold the key. These celestial bodies are rich in essential metals like cobalt, nickel, and platinum-group metals, often in higher concentrations than on Earth. Astroforge is at the forefront of commercializing space mining.We delve into the challenges, risks, and rewards of this spacefaring endeavor. Join us to explore the cosmos and the future of mining.Chat PDF:Revolutionizing Legal Practices with PDF and AI Welcome to Chat PDF, where we explore how the convergence of PDF uploads and Large Language Models (LLM) is reshaping the legal profession.Discover how the legal landscape is evolving with the power of AI. We'll delve into the impact of using PDF uploads to interact with LLMs, making legal processes more efficient and dynamic. This transformation is not just a game-changer; it's a game-evolver!Join us for insightful discussions, expert interviews, and practical insights into the future of the legal field. Unearth the potential of PDFs and AI as we journey through this dynamic intersection. Subscribe now to stay ahead in the legal tech realm!Hit me up at mylesdhillon@gmail.comGet intouch with Myles at mylesdhillon@gmail.com

Microsoft President Brad Smith is among the tech leaders joining the Senate's big AI forum today. On POLITICO Tech, Smith tells Steven Overly what new AI rules Microsoft is calling on Congress to impose -- and why he thinks others in the regulation-averse tech industry should get on board.

As the Kremlin struggles to contain the fallout from Yevgeny Prigozhin's uprising, Russian missiles struck a pizza restaurant in the heart of Kramatorsk, Ukraine, killing at least eleven people. And while the US government is keeping its distance from the thwarted rebellion in Russia, President Joe Biden says Putin has "absolutely" been weakened. CNN Correspondent Ben Wedeman reports from Eastern Ukraine.  Also on today's show: Microsoft President Brad Smith, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, musician Graham Nash To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

In his book Tools and Weapons, Microsoft President Brad Smith, writes about how the growth of technology is changing everyone's lives for better and worse.  In the latest meeting of the IPA book club, we are joined by Sandi Piatz, the head of market for APS, an IPA member, to discuss the book. She recommended it because it is an exploration of the issues facing the payments industry and society as a whole.   She is joined by IPA's CEO Brian Tate, and our director of government relations, Chris Stromberg. We discuss the need for collaboration to manage to promise and peril of new technology and how this applies to the payments industry. We also talk about fire horses.   The views expressed in this podcast represent the personal positions of the speakers and are not the official views of any company or the Association.   The IPA thanks our member sponsor, Netspend, for helping to make this show possible.   This podcast was recorded on June 14, 2023. Things may have changed by the time you hear it.  

Microsoft President Brad Smith has raised concerns about artificial intelligence churning out deep fakes, false but highly realistic content. In a speech in Washington, Smith emphasized the need to address deep fakes and protect against foreign cyber influence operations, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, India didn't figure in the list of markets as OpenAI expanded its iOS app to 11 countries. Snapchat hits 200 million active users in India, and also in this brief, Matrix Partners India has closed its latest fund at $550 million. Notes: Microsoft President Brad Smith yesterday expressed concerns regarding artificial intelligence churning out deep fakes, false but highly realistic content. In a speech in Washington, Smith emphasized the need to address deep fakes and protect against foreign cyber influence operations, Reuters reports. He called for measures to inform people whether a photo or video is genuine or AI-generated, aiming to prevent deception or fraud through the use of AI. Smith also advocated for licensing critical forms of AI to ensure security, cybersecurity, and national security obligations. Smith echoed the call for global cooperation on AI and incentivized safety compliance. He also emphasized accountability for AI-related issues and the importance of human control over critical infrastructure, proposing safety brakes. Additionally, Smith suggested implementing a system similar to "Know Your Customer" to monitor AI developers and inform the public about AI-generated content. Meanwhile, OpenAI has expanded the availability of its ChatGPT app for iOS to 11 additional countries, excluding India, Mint reports. The app, which allows users to ask questions using voice also, is now accessible in nations including France, the UK, Jamaica, Korea, Ireland, Nicaragua, Albania, and Croatia. Mira Murati, CTO at OpenAI, announced the expansion on Twitter, mentioning that the app would be introduced to more countries soon. OpenAI aims to make state-of-the-art research more accessible and plans to release a free app for Android devices in the future. Snapchat has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 200 million monthly active users in India, with 120 million of them engaging with content on the platform, according to parent company Snap Inc., Mint reports. To celebrate this achievement, Snap Inc. has introduced an experimental AI-powered chatbot called My AI, tailored for Snapchat. The chatbot can provide personalized recommendations for birthday gifts, plan weekend trips, and even suggest dinner recipes. Snap Inc. attributes its success in India to the local platform experience, content initiatives, partnerships, and a dedicated focus on regional creators, along with the popularity of augmented reality (AR) features. Matrix Partners India has successfully closed its latest fund, raising over $550 million in commitments, the VC firm said in a newsletter yesterday. Matrix aims to invest in exceptional founders and assist in building ground-breaking companies, focusing on seed, early, and early growth stages across various sectors. India's digital economy, expected to reach $2 to $3 trillion in the next decade, presents a lucrative opportunity for founders to create disruptive businesses. Matrix Partners India expresses gratitude to founders and long-term investors, while also expanding its physical presence in Gurugram to engage with India's flourishing startup ecosystem.

Microsoft President Brad Smith went to the other Washington this week to ask government officials to put guardrails up around artificial intelligence.

CSIS's Gregory C. Allen joins the podcast to discuss why the Group of Seven Nations (G7) are headed into new territory discussing AI, how they should attempt to regulate it, and creating a framework for addressing the challenges going forward.  Allen is the director of CSIS' Wadhwani Center for AI and Technology. Allen is also director of the CSIS AI Council co-chaired by Accenture CEO Julie Sweet and Microsoft President Brad Smith. In April, the Council released its report, “Advancing Cooperative AI Governance at the 2023 G7 Summit” https://www.csis.org/analysis/advancing-cooperative-ai-governance-2023-g7-summit

Microsoft has lashed out at the UK's Competition and Markets Authority over its decision to veto the software giant's $69 billion acquisition of gaming company Activision Blizzard. Microsoft President Brad Smith called the decision “the darkest day of our four decades in Britain,” warning that the regulator's red light had shaken the company's confidence about doing business in the UK. On this week's podcast, MLex's M&A team examines the fallout of the CMA's decision and what it means for the prospects of the global deal.

Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith hosts conversations with leaders in government, business, and culture that explore the world's most critical challenges at the intersection of technology and society. In this episode, Strive Masiyiwa, a pioneer of Africa's telecoms industry and influential global tech tycoon, discusses his work to ensure that all 1.3 billion+ Africans get access to digital infrastructure, close the digital skills gap, and invest in the continent's young entrepreneurs to find innovative solutions for healthcare and food insecurity. Follow or subscribe to Tools and Weapons at https://news.microsoft.com/tools-and-weapons-podcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready to level up your Xbox game with the XBL Party Podcast! Our weekly Xbox-centric podcast is the ultimate source for all the latest Xbox news and trends. Join our panel of hilarious gamers, including Ima_Gh0stbuster, S3ntinel 17, TheGinnaGaming, and our charming host @ReddersTV, as they bring you up to speed on everything Xbox-related. Whether you're a seasoned gamer or just starting out, our show has something for everyone. From the latest game releases to insider scoops, our panel covers it all while adding their unique perspectives and humor to the mix. So, if you want to stay in the know and be part of a fun and engaging community of Xbox enthusiasts, tune in to the XBL Party Podcast every week. We'll keep you laughing and learning while keeping you up to date on all things Xbox. //TONIGHT'S TOPICS INCLUDE: - Xbox Game Pass Adds Long-Awaited Survival Game 'Valheim' for Consoles. - - Xbox's Phil Spencer Announces 10-Year Deal with @Boosteroid_Main. - - Capcom Confirms Exoprimal Will Launch on Xbox Game Pass. - - Blizzard Has No Plans to Add Diablo 4 to Xbox Game Pass. - - Xbox Game Pass Farming & Exploration Game 'Lightyear: Frontier' Delayed. - - Microsoft President Brad Smith tells WSJ that Microsoft Isn't Currently in Discussions with Sony for a Call of Duty Deal. - - S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Developers Issue Statement Following Cyberattacks. - - Atomic Heart 2 is Already Being Planned for Development. - & More! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/xblpartypodcast/message

Sony has no console exclusivity over baldur's gate 3 "Microsoft President Brad Smith says this is the marketplace breakdown between Xbox and Playstation." Phil Spencer says "Xbox will exist" even if its proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition is blocked...the deal is not "some linchpin to the long term" in new interview Rise Tarnished! Elden Ring expansion is coming! Halo Infinite Season 3: Echoes Within is the game's "biggest multiplayer update" yet ‘Hogwarts Legacy' Earns $850 Million, Sells More Than 12 Million Units in First Two Weeks Sharing an app I built for Xbox. It can play white noise and nature sounds for chilling/relaxing. Can run in background while gaming. Open source Deathloop: Thank You For 5 Million Players! EA Asks If Fans Are Interested in More Dead Space Remakes Gears of War 2 writer and director is asking fans if they'd like to see Cliff Bleszinski return to Gears. Fallout New Vegas Remastered Would Be "Awesome", Says Obsidian "Xbox Series X/S has now sold 18.5 million consoles versus PS5's 30 million, according to a new report." An Xbox game made it to the Famitsu Top 30 physical software chart in Japan for the first time in 7 years (Forza Horizon 5 #15) Sifu is coming to Xbox in March Vampire Survivors has won 'Action Game of the Year' at the Dice Awards

Xbox's pursuit of Activision Blizzard reached a new crescendo in recent days, as Microsoft President Brad Smith gave both private and public presentations to the European Commission about the virtues of the proposed deal. In its persistent recalcitrance and total unwillingness to get out of the way (particularly when it comes to Call of Duty's availability on PlayStation), Sony's strategy of silence may actually be paying off. Is Cryin' Jim really Thrivin' Jim? As always, we go deep into the weeds of this never-ending saga. Other news this week includes word of Diablo IV's open beta, Bungie suing cheaters into oblivion, and Embracer's presumably overleveraged position. Listener inquiries round things out, touching on topics like games that solve puzzles for you, our favorite so-called Sony-isms, the upcoming biblical title I Am Jesus Christ, and a potential Sacred Symbols sandwich at an Ohio-based deli. (Remember: We recorded a day earlier than usual because of our live event in Houston.) Thanks to our sponsor! Shop spring designs at https://www.tommyjohn.com/sacred and get 20% off your first order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Microsoft's announcement this week it plans to lay off 10,000 workers shows that, like others in the tech sector, the company isn't immune from the forces of economic slowdown. Microsoft President/Vice Chair Brad Smith joins Julia in Davos to discuss.  Also on today's show: International Energy Agency Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol, Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) CEO Nicolas Aguzin. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Microsoft agreed to make the hit video game Call of Duty available on Nintendo for 10 years should its $69 billion purchase of game maker Activision Blizzard go through — an apparent attempt to fend off objections from rival Sony. The blockbuster merger is facing close scrutiny from regulators in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere. Microsoft, maker of the Xbox game console, faces resistance from Sony, which makes the competing PlayStation console. Microsoft has raised concerns with antitrust watchdogs about losing access to what it calls a “must-have” game title. Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, tweeted that Microsoft “entered into a 10-year commitment” to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo. Microsoft President Brad Smith tweeted his thanks to Nintendo, which makes the Switch game console, saying the same offer was available for Sony. “Any day @Sony wants to sit down and talk, we'll be happy to hammer out a 10-year deal for PlayStation as well,” he said. Smith said the agreement would bring Call of Duty to more gamers and more platforms, and “that's good for competition and good for consumers.” Sony's European press office didn't respond to a request for comment. Adding to the pressure on Sony, Microsoft also said it has committed to keeping Call of Duty on the platform Steam, a digital marketplace for PC games, in an agreement with Steam's operator Valve. In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, Smith raised concerns about the possibility that the Federal Trade Commission could take Microsoft to court to stop the deal. Antitrust watchdogs in both Britain and the European Union also are investigating the transaction over concerns it would distort competition. At the heart of the dispute is control over future releases of Activision Blizzard's most popular games, especially Call of Duty, a first-person military shooter franchise. Activision reported in November 2022 that the latest installment, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, had earned more than $1 billion in sales since its Oct. 28 launch. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Microsoft President Brad Smith recently laid out a WSJ argument for the massive acquisition. On Windows Weekly, Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott discuss the Activision Blizzard + Microsoft deal and how it relates to Apple/Google's dominance of the mobile gaming market (as well as other streaming services).  Full episode at twit.tv/ww806 Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte You can find more about TWiT and subscribe to our podcasts at https://podcasts.twit.tv/

Microsoft President Brad Smith recently laid out a WSJ argument for the massive acquisition. On Windows Weekly, Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott discuss the Activision Blizzard + Microsoft deal and how it relates to Apple/Google's dominance of the mobile gaming market (as well as other streaming services).  Full episode at twit.tv/ww806 Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte You can find more about TWiT and subscribe to our podcasts at https://podcasts.twit.tv/

Microsoft President Brad Smith recently laid out a WSJ argument for the massive acquisition. On Windows Weekly, Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott discuss the Activision Blizzard + Microsoft deal and how it relates to Apple/Google's dominance of the mobile gaming market (as well as other streaming services).  Full episode at twit.tv/ww806 Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte You can find more about TWiT and subscribe to our podcasts at https://podcasts.twit.tv/

Microsoft President Brad Smith, like many in tech and the broader world, hoped 2022 might bring a bit of a break in the onslaught of national and global challenges. Halfway through, the reality has been anything but. "This has been another year where, to use an old phrase, we have to borrow from our sleep in order to get everything done," the Microsoft president said in an interview this week in his office in Redmond. "I don't think any of us thought, when the year began, that we'd find a major war in Europe." But helping to defend Ukraine in the Russian cyberwar is just one issue on Microsoft's radar. In the first six months of the year, the company has made a series of moves driven by the turbulent economy, new state and national legislation, growing pressure from employees and investors, a shifting labor market, regulatory challenges, and a pending acquisition that would be the largest in its history. Microsoft boosted employee compensation, significantly reduced its use of non-compete agreements, and announced plans to publicly disclose salary ranges in job posts nationally starting next year. The company commissioned an outside review of its sexual harassment and gender discrimination policies and practices, and announced plans for a civil rights audit, joining a larger industry movement. It also removed confidentiality clauses from agreements involving internal allegations of misconduct. Microsoft pledged a new approach to the prospect of labor unions in its current and future workforce, seeking in part to appease regulators weighing the company's proposed $68.7 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard. The company has continued to press ahead on its climate initiatives in the midst of all of this, attempting to navigate the challenge of higher energy prices while focusing on the environmental crisis. And then there's the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. That's where we started our wide-ranging conversation with Smith this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conceding that the rise of labor unions in tech may ultimately reach its own business, Microsoft released a new set of principles Thursday acknowledging the rights of its employees to organize, pledging to work constructively with any who do, and making it clear that it hopes they won't feel the need.  The move follows a union vote last week by the quality assurance team inside Activision-Blizzard subsidiary Raven Software, maker of Call of Duty. Microsoft needs regulatory approval for its $68.7 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard. Its approach contrasts with its fellow Seattle-area corporate giants Amazon and Starbucks, which have opposed the formation of labor unions by their workers. What's really going on here? On this episode, we talk with Microsoft President Brad Smith — getting his explanation of the principles, the reasons for creating them, and the broader context around them. We also get reaction and analysis from Marcus Courtney, who led an effort to organize Microsoft's temporary workforce starting in the late 1990s as co-founder of the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our anchors begin today's show breaking down New Street Advisors Group Founder and CEO Delano Saporu's outlook for inflation and the tech sector, and coding platform Glitch CEO Anil Dash shares his thoughts on Elon Musk's role at Twitter and more. Then, our Julia Boorstin covers a MoffettNathanson note outlining challenges facing streaming service Roku, and CNBC's Phil LeBeau reports on the TSA extending its mask mandate for air travel. Later, RBC Capital analyst Brad Erickson joins after lowering his estimates and price target for Meta, and CNBC's Steve Kovach hosts an exclusive conversation with Microsoft President Brad Smith at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit in Washington, D.C.

Our anchors begin today's show breaking down Meta's plunging market cap, ride-hailing app Lyft's Q4 earnings and rumors surrounding Microsoft acquiring cybersecurity firm Mandiant with Wheelhouse Capital CIO Ann Berry. Then, CNBC's Ylan Mui joins with new developments on a potential stock trading ban for congressional lawmakers, and our Julia Boorstin previews Disney's earnings after the bell. Next, Doximity Co-Founder and CEO Jeff Tangney joins to discuss the medical networking platform's latest results, and CNBC's Eamon Javers shares highlights from his exclusive conversation with Microsoft President Brad Smith on the software giant's plans to upgrade its app store. Later, chip designer Arm's new CEO Rene Haas joins exclusively after Nvidia's deal to acquire the firm folded under regulatory pressure.

Activision Blizzard's year of news appearances is almost unbelievable, but perhaps none more so than the announcement that Microsoft and Xbox is purchasing them for just under $70 BILLION in cash. With Phil Spencer and Satya Nadella already out in force, Microsoft now moves to more formal PR mechanisms, introducing a long form promise to be the "good guys" as described by Microsoft President Brad Smith through the company's "issues" blog. But what does it mean to assure Call of Duty's continued presence on PlayStation? And does the company really expect credit for self-serving promises already made? It's always good when a multi-national, multi-trillion dollar company pledges to *follow the law*, but we question whether it really deserves a cookie...in Virtual Legality. CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/XESJWGwchXs #Activision #Microsoft #Antitrust *** WANT TO SUPPORT THE CHANNEL? PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality STREAMLABS - https://streamlabs.com/richardhoeg STORE - https://teespring.com/stores/hoeg-law-store SEASONED GAMING BITCAST - SUNDAYS AT 11:00 EASTERN https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgHBXONMT06nX_8RZ5r32UA *** CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 02:22 Answering the Call of Duty 03:50 An Epic Callback 07:02 PR Promises 15:38 Principles and Principals 25:37 Laws in the Pipeline 28:46 Answering the Call Part 2 32:25 Xboxes and Double Standards 38:37 Conclusion *** Discussed in this episode: "Microsoft x Activision" Hoeg Law Playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy_vBs7Qt9-ROfumOtIrSdP8 An Antitrust Epic Hoeg Law Playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy-lb7ReoUqL5_dTcM8ngmfV HOEG LAW VIDEOS https://youtu.be/i4-vxNc3H3Y https://youtu.be/G82ZnoHQ3NA TWEETS https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/1484273335139651585 DOCUMENTS/ARTICLES https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2022/02/09/open-app-store-principles-activision-blizzard/ https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2020/10/08/app-store-fairness-caf-interoperability-principles/ https://app.box.com/s/6b9wmjvr582c95uzma1136exumk6p989/file/807135002509 https://appfairness.org/ https://www.theverge.com/22914479/open-app-markets-act-legislation-senate-committee-markup-explained https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2021/07/15/the-nintendo-switch-oled-estimated-to-cost-only-10-more-per-unit-to-make/ *** "Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law). CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL. *** Twitter: @hoeglaw Web: hoeglaw.com

Microsoft President Brad Smith discusses cyber risks in the digital age, and explains his company's effort to support federal, state, and local governments in building safe online infrastructure. He details Microsoft's pledge to invest $20 billion in cybersecurity over the next 5 years and the chip shortage hitting global markets. Disney and Marvel Studios' “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” broke box office records in the U.S., garnering an estimated $71.4 over the holiday weekend. While celebrated stateside, the film has not yet been released in China. CNBC's Eunice Yoon reports on the CCP's relationship with entertainment and media, on the ground in Beijing. SoftBank has struck a $7 billion share-swap deal with Deutsche Telekom to increase its stake in U.S. unit T-Mobile; Softbank Group International CEO (and WeWork Executive Chairman) Marcelo Claure discusses the telecom shakeup and the implications for his own business. Plus, booster shots for Covid vaccinations are on the horizon, and high tech mattresses are in vogue. In this episode: Brad Smith, @BradSmi Marcelo Claure, @marceloclaure Eunice Yoon, @onlyyoontv Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Melissa Lee, @MelissaLeeCNBC

Clubhouse issues https://onezero.medium.com/clubhouse-is-suggesting-users-invite-their-drug-dealers-and-therapists-a8161b3062fcClubhouse has become big news recently and because of that, it is under more scrutiny Will Oremus has looked at how Clubhouse uses your contacts, and its not greatLike most apps, if you grant it access to your contacts, it uploads your entire address book It you dont allow it to upload your contacts, you dont get the much prized invites to invite two friendsBut then if you do, like me, and like Will, you might find it requesting names you cant remember And twitters clubhouse https://bigtechnology.substack.com/p/the-bull-case-for-twitter-spacesClubhouse's launch feels like a throwback with its beg for invites modelMy Twitter dms are full of randos asking for invites https://www.theinformation.com/articles/facebook-plans-smartwatch-with-focus-on-messaging-health?shared=68804956321ee69c https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/12/22280798/facebook-smartwatch-messaging-health-fitness-release-date A scoop from the Information, Facebook is building its own smartwatch Facebook isn't known for its hardware, but it does own VR headset business Oculus and released the Portal video chat devices a few years ago. The smartwatch would have messaging, health, and fitness features, The device reportedly is an Android-based smartwatch. It also says Facebook is working on building its own operating system for hardware devices and that future iterations of the wearable may run that software instead. Peter, where would a Facebook watch it into the wearable market? I guess this makes sense if you think about integrations with Whatsapp or Messenger… https://www.axios.com/microsoft-us-should-consider-aussie-law-vexing-facebook-google-a691794e-2018-4c3a-aff1-172b42864761.htmlAs we've already discussed Microsoft thinks Australia's media code is great and now the maker of Bing thinks the U.S. and other countries should consider adopting media rules.In an interview with Axios, Microsoft President Brad Smith said "we recognize that this is an opportunity to combine good business with a good cause," Exploiting the angst between Google & governments is perhaps the best shot Microsoft have ever had to grow their search business … And the media code is a step closer towards becoming law. The government will introduce the news media bargaining code to parliament on Monday after a Senate committee recommended the bill be passed. The Australian reports the government will seek to push its legislation through the lower house today, and debate on the bill could begin in the Senate as early as Tuesday, with the government hoping to have the code finally enshrined in law within a fortnight.

Residents east of Perth remain under serious bushfire threat, PM speaks with some forced to flee and the secretary of a local Sikh temple offering warm food and shelter to evacuees; and the tech behemoth Microsoft distinguishes itself from Google, welcoming government regulation that could see it share more revenue with news publishers, Microsoft President Brad Smith joins PM.

Residents east of Perth remain under serious bushfire threat, PM speaks with some forced to flee and the secretary of a local Sikh temple offering warm food and shelter to evacuees; and the tech behemoth Microsoft distinguishes itself from Google, welcoming government regulation that could see it share more revenue with news publishers, Microsoft President Brad Smith joins PM.

Residents east of Perth remain under serious bushfire threat, PM speaks with some forced to flee and the secretary of a local Sikh temple offering warm food and shelter to evacuees; and the tech behemoth Microsoft distinguishes itself from Google, welcoming government regulation that could see it share more revenue with news publishers, Microsoft President Brad Smith joins PM.

Residents east of Perth remain under serious bushfire threat, PM speaks with some forced to flee and the secretary of a local Sikh temple offering warm food and shelter to evacuees; and the tech behemoth Microsoft distinguishes itself from Google, welcoming government regulation that could see it share more revenue with news publishers, Microsoft President Brad Smith joins PM.

LIVE FROM OUR STUDIOS IN DALLAS TEXAS - Please join us live every Thursday at 6pmcst for a live/unscripted show: We discuss politics/events in the world like no other show you have heard. Caution there is no spin here just the truth as we know it. Your host John Hollywood & Amos Waranch Show Producer Maureen VanterpoolShow sponsor Above and beyond design call today to change your life 210-264-2073On Monday, Texas firm SolarWinds disclosed that up to 18,000 users of its popular Orion network-management software had been unwittingly infected, blaming what it termed an "outside nation-state."Microsoft President Brad Smith, in a blog post Friday, said roughly 80% of affected customers were located inside the United States. Others were located in the UK, Belgium, Canada, Israel, Mexico, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.Reuters, citing a British security source, said a small number of British organizations had been compromised but "not in the public sector.""The scale is daunting," said James Lewis, vice president of the US Center for Strategic and International Studies, commenting on the disclosures. 

LIVE FROM OUR STUDIOS IN DALLAS TEXAS - Please join us live every Thursday at 6pmcst for a live/unscripted show: We discuss politics/events in the world like no other show you have heard. Caution there is no spin here just the truth as we know it. Your host John Hollywood & Amos Waranch Show Producer Maureen Vanterpool Show sponsor Above and beyond design call today to change your life 210-264-2073 On Monday, Texas firm SolarWinds disclosed that up to 18,000 users of its popular Orion network-management software had been unwittingly infected, blaming what it termed an "outside nation-state." Microsoft President Brad Smith, in a blog post Friday, said roughly 80% of affected customers were located inside the United States. Others were located in the UK, Belgium, Canada, Israel, Mexico, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. Reuters, citing a British security source, said a small number of British organizations had been compromised but "not in the public sector." "The scale is daunting," said James Lewis, vice president of the US Center for Strategic and International Studies, commenting on the disclosures. 

Microsoft President Brad Smith joins Reaganism to discuss technology's potential role in bringing back American manufacturing, Microsoft's “tech-diplomacy” on behalf of democracy, and a quirky story about how President Reagan may have jump started the government's interested in cyber security. Brad Smith & Carl Ann Browne Book https://www.amazon.com/Tools-Weapons-Promise-Peril-Digital/dp/1984877712

After the White House demanded that Beijing-based owner ByteDance sell its American operations to a U.S.-owned firm, or else be blocked from doing business starting on September 20th. Oracle emerged as the company that will make it happen on late Sunday night, Bloomberg reports. This morning, Oracle confirmed that it's reached a deal to become the trusted technology provider to TikTok. The next step will be government approval. Microsoft was in the mix to buy TikTok's U.S. operations with a plan to completely move all data to U.S. soil and take over all of its algorithms from day one. Microsoft President Brad Smith said that would protect against two key threats from TikTok: the risk of the Chinese government infringing on the privacy of American users, and the risk of the platform being used for misinformation. Adding even more uncertainty to the equation are new reports on Monday morning. China state broadcasters are reporting that ByteDance won't sell TikTok to either Oracle or Microsoft. Here to discuss the situation with me today is Carmi Levy, director of content marketing at Info-Tech Research Group. And we have Scott Bickley, a principal research director in our CIO group at Info-Tech. Welcome. Also joining us is Marc Mazur, a research specialist in Security at Info-Tech.

Microsoft president Brad Smith joined The Post to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and the role technology will play in shaping our society and its future.

Governments and publics are increasingly asking that tech companies work to address the challenges and adapt to the changes technology has unleashed, from digital security to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the core of these new expectations is the sense that world-changing technologies must be governed in accordance with a broad ethic of responsibility – to individual users and to society at large. In this conversation, Jonathan Zittrain was joined by Microsoft President Brad Smith to discuss how big tech might rise to these new challenges and opportunities.

Brad Smith is the President of Microsoft and leads a team of more than 1400 employees in 56 countries. He plays a key role in spearheading the company’s work on critical issues involving the intersection of technology and society. In his spare time, he’s also an author! We were fortunate to catch up with Brad who, late on a Friday afternoon, sat down with me in the booth to talk about his new book, Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age, and revealed the top ten tech policy issues he believes will shape our own century’s roaring 20s. He also gave us a peek inside the life of a person the New York Times has described a “de facto ambassador for the technology industry at large” – himself! https://www.microsoft.com/research  

Microsoft President Brad Smith draws on his company's experience, and observations of other tech companies, to talk about how technology can be both a helpful tool & a weapon in society. He also advocates for more regulation of the tech industry. He's co-author of the new book “Tools and Weapons.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year! Microsoft President Brad Smith has a message for the tech community: “If you create technology that changes the world, you do bear a responsibility to help address the world that you’ve helped create.” He speaks with Joe Kernen, Becky Quick, and Mike Santoli about corporate accountability and digital behemoths in the age of the Internet. Plus, podcast-exclusive conversations with the Executive Producers of Squawk Box, Max Meyers and Anne Tironi. Hear what happens behind the scenes (and sounds) of our TV broadcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Microsoft's president, Brad Smith leads a team of more than 1,400 business, legal and corporate affairs professionals working in 56 countries. He plays a key role in spearheading the company's work on critical issues involving the intersection of technology and society, including cybersecurity, privacy, artificial intelligence, human rights, immigration, philanthropy and environmental sustainability. The Australian Financial Review has described Smith as “one of the technology industry's most respected figures,” and The New York Times has called him “a de facto ambassador for the technology industry at large.” Smith operates by a simple core belief: When your technology changes the world, you bear a responsibility to help address the world you have helped create. This might seem uncontroversial, but it flies in the face of a tech sector long obsessed with rapid growth and sometimes on disruption as an end in itself. While sweeping digital transformation holds great promise, Smith says we have reached an inflection point, and the world has turned information technology into both a powerful tool and a formidable weapon. Come hear his view that new approaches are needed to manage an era defined by even more powerful inventions like artificial intelligence. Companies that create technology must accept greater responsibility for the future, he says, and governments will need to regulate technology by moving faster and catching up with the pace of innovation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPEAKERS Brad Smith President, Microsoft; Author, Tools and Weapons: The Promise and Peril of the Digital Age In Conversation with Molly Wood Host and Senior Editor, "Marketplace Tech" This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on December 5th, 2019.

Microsoft President Brad Smith sits down with Bloomberg's Tom Giles for an exclusive interview on Bloomberg Studio 1.0 about his new book Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age.

Artificial intelligence might sound like a futuristic concept, and it may be true that we're years or decades away from a generalized form of AI that can match or exceed the capabilities of the human brain across a wide range of topics. But the implications of machine learning, facial recognition and other early forms of the technology are already playing out for companies, governmental agencies and people around the world,. This is raising questions about everything from privacy to jobs to law enforcement to the future of humanity. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we hear several different takes from people grappling right now with AI and its implications for business, technology and society, recorded across different sessions at the recent GeekWire Summit in Seattle. We hear from Microsoft President Brad Smith, co-author of the book Tools and Weapons; U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, Seattle Police Department Chief Carmen Best; Luke Larson, president of Axon, the maker of Taser and body camera technology; and Dave Limp, the senior vice president in charge of Amazon's devices and services business.

Microsoft President Brad Smith operates by a simple core belief: When your technology changes the world, you bear a responsibility to help address the world you have helped create. He stepped up to Town Hall’s stage—in conversation with GeekWire’s Monica Nickelsburg—with insight from his co-written book Tools and Weapons, expounding on this vision and confronting a tech sector long obsessed with rapid growth and sometimes on disruption as an end in itself. Smith commented on a world that has turned information technology into both a powerful tool and a formidable weapon, and contends that new approaches are needed to manage an era defined by even more powerful inventions like artificial intelligence.  Smith brought us perspective from one of the world’s largest and most powerful tech companies as it faces challenges that come with no preexisting playbook—issues of privacy, cybercrime and cyberwar, social media, the moral conundrums of artificial intelligence, and big tech’s relationship to inequality. Join Smith and Nickelsburg as they pull back the curtain to some of Microsoft’s most crucial decision points—and the drive to protect the hopeful aspects of technology from the threats it presents. Brad Smith is Microsoft’s President, where he leads a team of more than 1,400 business, legal and corporate affairs professionals working in 56 countries. He spearheads the company’s work on critical issues involving the intersection of technology and society, including cybersecurity, privacy, artificial intelligence, human rights, immigration, philanthropy, and environmental sustainability. Monica Nickelsburg is GeekWire’s Civic Editor, covering technology-driven solutions to urban challenges and the intersection of tech and politics. Before joining GeekWire, she worked for The Week, Forbes, and NBC. Monica holds a BA in journalism and history from New York University. Recorded live in The Great Hall at Town Hall Seattle on September 20, 2019. 

Microsoft President Brad Smith operates by a simple core belief: when your technology changes the world, you bear a responsibility to help address the world you have helped create. This might seem uncontroversial, but it flies in the face of a tech sector long obsessed with rapid growth and sometimes on disruption as an end in itself. Now, though, we have reached an inflection point: Silicon Valley has moved fast and it has broken things. A new understanding has emerged that companies that create technology must accept greater responsibility for the future. And governments will need to regulate technology by moving faster and catching up with the pace of innovation that is impacting our communities and changing the world. In Tools and Weapons, Brad Smith takes us into the cockpit of one of the world's largest and most powerful tech companies as it finds itself in the middle of some of the thorniest emerging issues of our time. These are challenges that come with no pre-existing playbook, including privacy, cybercrime and cyberwar, social media, the moral conundrums of AI, big tech's relationship to inequality and the challenges for democracy, far and near. While in no way a self-glorifying "Microsoft memoir," the book opens up the curtain remarkably wide onto some of the company's most crucial recent decision points, as it strives to protect the hopes technology offers against the very real threats it also presents. Every tool can be a weapon in the wrong person's hands, and companies are being challenged in entirely new ways to embrace the totality of their responsibilities. We have moved from a world in which Silicon Valley could take no prisoners to one in which tech companies and governments must work together to address the challenges and adapt to the changes technology has unleashed. There are huge ramifications to be thought through, and Brad Smith provides a marvellous and urgently necessary contribution to that effort. __________ In Tools and Weapons, Brad Smith takes us behind the scenes on some of the biggest stories to hit the tech industry in the past decade. From Edward Snowden's NSA leak to the NHS WannaCry ransomware attack, this book is essential reading to understand what's happening in the world around us.

The boss of Microsoft is praising Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for keeping tech companies on their toes.Tomorrow marks six months since the alleged Christchurch shooter was able to livestream his massacre via Facebook.Microsoft President Brad Smith says Ardern has managed to convince all tech companies that they cannot continue the way they've been operating.He says he's rarely seen a government move with such determination and so quickly.and it's a great testament to the fact that even a small nation can change the world when it has the right idea.Jacinda Ardern is expected to make an announcement about the Christchurch Call when she travels to the United Nations this month.LISTEN TO JACK'S INTERVIEW WITH BRAD ABOVE

Apple rolls out its latest iPhones, President Trump rolls back restrictions on trophy hunting, and Microsoft President Brad Smith discusses his book "Tools and Weapons."  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft President Brad Smith talks with Recode’s Kara Swisher about his new book, co-authored with Carol Ann Browne, Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age. They discuss what Microsoft learned from United States v. Microsoft Corp. in 2001 and how that antitrust investigation compares to today’s techlash; the culture of disruption and “move fast and break things” in Silicon Valley; and why every tech company, even those not responsible for problems, should be part of the solutions. Smith also talks about the impact of Edward Snowden’s NSA leak and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, how the government can expand the opportunities enjoyed by the tech world with more of America, and tech regulation around the world — including why Smith believes the US will have a national privacy bill by 2024. Plus: Is it inevitable that big tech companies will be broken up? Featuring: Brad Smith (@bradsmi), president of Microsoft and co-author of Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age. Hosts: Kara Swisher (@karaswisher), Recode co-founder and editor-at-large More to explore: Subscribe for free to Pivot, Kara’s podcast with NYU Professor Scott Galloway that offer sharp, unfiltered insights into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics. About Recode by Vox: Recode by Vox helps you understand how tech is changing the world — and changing us. Follow Us: Newsletter: Recode Daily Twitter: @Recode and @voxdotcom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In “Tools & Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age,” Microsoft President Brad Smith and his co-author Carol Ann Browne tell the inside story of some of the biggest developments in tech and the world over the past decade -- including Microsoft’s reaction to the Snowden revelations, its battle with Russian hackers in the leadup to the 2016 elections and its role in the ongoing debate  privacy and facial recognition technology.  The book goes behind-the-scenes at the Obama and Trump White Houses, explores the implications of the coming wave of artificial intelligence, and calls on tech giants and governments to step up and prepare for the ethical, legal and societal challenges of powerful new forms of technology yet to come. We touched on many of those topics in this conversation with Smith about the new book, due out Sept. 10. Smith will also speak at the upcoming GeekWire Summit.

  Bio   Daiquiri Ryan (@DaiquiriRyan) serves as the policy counsel at the National Hispanic Media Coalition where she leverages her policy expertise to advocate on behalf of the Latino community on Capitol Hill and beyond. She monitors, reviews and analyzes policies, programs, regulations and proposals to identify ways to close the Latino digital divide and expand access to communications for all Americans, regardless of their income or home zip code. Daiquiri’s advocacy work includes preserving net neutrality, strengthening privacy protections, and increasing diversity in media ownership. Previously Daiquiri served as policy fellow at Public Knowledge, where she created and led the Broadband Connects America rural broadband coalition, engaged online creators in the fight to restore net neutrality, led litigation against the FCC’s repeal of the 2016 Tech Transitions order, and advocated for policies to close the digital divide. Her other fellowships have included time at Amazon, the DC Office of Attorney General, and the Arizona Department of Education. She is a member of the inaugural class of Google Next Gen Policy Leaders, where she co-leads a working group focused on creative policy solutions for intellectual property and social justice. Daiquiri also serves as Vice President and co-founder of the Joey Ryan Foundation, a 501(c)(3) created in honor of her late brother that focuses on empowering young people with disabilities. She received her Juris Doctorate from George Washington University Law School, Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and Media Relations from Arizona State University, and is admitted to the state Bar of Texas.   Resources   National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC)   Lack of Internet Access Threatens 2020 Census Success and the Future of Latino Voting Power by Daiquiri Ryan     HEADLINES:   The Muellerreport finds Russians tried to hack Hillary emails within 5 hours after Trump called for it, the CIA warns the world about Huawei, and Daiquiri Ryan is my guest   News Roundup   Mueller report says Russians attempted to hack Hillary Clinton’s data just 5 hours after Trump called for it, then CIA warns the world over Huawei, and Daiquiri Ryan is my guest   The Mueller report on Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election found that Russians attempted to hack into Hillary Clinton’s emails just 5 hours after Trump called for Moscow to do so while he was on the campaign trail. It’s just one of the many, many lies and deceptive tactics both Russia and the Trump administration employed during the 2016 campaign season.   CIA warns UK over Huawei   The CIA told spy agencies abroad last week that China’s People’s Liberation Army, National Security Commission and a third branch of the Chinese state intelligence network, have funded Chinese telecom giant Huawei to supply 5G technology to Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. We reported back in December that Canada arrested Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou for allegedly defrauding multiple financial institutions in order to evade sanctions against Iran. The DOJ has since charged Meng with fraud. And Huawei is currently banned from doing business in the U.S. Huawei is suing the U.S. for the ban saying in part that the ban is politically motivated.   Facebook uploaded 1.5 million email addresses without consent Business Insider reported last week that in 2016, Facebook “unintentionally uploaded” some 1.5 million of Facebook users’ emails in order to develop new products and services. Facebook says it’s deleting the data.   Twitter left up death threats against Ilhan Omar   BuzzFeed News reported that Twitter left up death threats made against Rep. Ilhan Omar. The threats came after President Trump tweeted spliced footage of the Congresswoman alongside footage of the September 11th attacks. Twitter said it left the threats up so that Capitol Police could investigate.   Meanwhile, the EU parliament voted in a measure that would fine social media companies for leaving up extremist content for too long.       DOJ: Sprint/T-Mobile not likely to survive scrutiny   The DOJ’s Antitrust Division told Sprint and TMobile last week that the proposed $26 billion merger of the two companies, in its current form, is unlikely to be approved. That’s according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.     Law enforcement’s increased reliance on Google   In an investigative report, the New York Times has found that law enforcement agencies are increasingly relying on Google’s SensorVault technology as an evidence repository to identify devices that were present at crime scenes.  Some of the data dates back several years. Law enforcement officials interviewed in the report claim the search data it obtains from Google is only used to supplement additional evidence it collects from suspects.   Microsoft turns down California law enforcement request for AI   Reuters reports that Microsoft turned down an unnamed California law enforcement agency after the agency asked the company to install facial recognition technology in squad cars and body cams. Microsoft President Brad Smith said the agency’s use of the technology would lead to a negative impact on women and people of color because thus far it has only tested the technology on white males.

The United States Studies Centre hosted a keynote address and Q&A with Microsoft President Brad Smith. Mr Smith used the occasion to discuss artificial intelligence, ethics and governance, and the use of facial recognition technology in Australia and the United States.

Microsoft President Brad Smith live on the 500-Million-dollar housing pledge // Hanna Scott on a measure in Olympia to provide longterm care for the elderly // Colleen O'Brien's dose of kindness -- feeding furloughed federal workers // Sports Insider Danny O'Neil on Edgar Martinez's last shot at Cooperstown // Don DeSantis, tax whisperer, on whether now might be a good time to cheat on your taxes (it's not) // Seattle U. Prof John Kirkman on monopolies in 2019 // Chris Sullivan's Chokepoint -- so far, so good in the post-Viaduct era

Microsoft is asking the United States government to implement measures that will regulate the use of facial recognition technology. Last July, Microsoft President Brad Smith highlighted the importance of this regulation through a blog post. According to Smith, a government regulation will stop the private and public sectors from using facial recognition to undermine people's rights. Facial recognition refers to a computer's capability to identify and confirm a person's face using photos or a camera. Many tech companies, like Amazon and Microsoft, are already developing and selling their own facial recognition software. In addition, many industries like communications and law enforcement use this software. Microsoft's call for regulation follows recent controversies regarding the usage and application of facial recognition technology. For instance, Amazon's software, which can recognize up to 100 people in one photo, is being used by law enforcement agencies. Some civil rights groups raised concerns that unmonitored use of this technology could lead to unwanted surveillance of civilians. On a similar note, Facebook has been accused of using facial recognition technology without the explicit approval of its users. This action is considered a violation of privacy rights. Despite Microsoft's intentions, groups pushing for civilian freedom and privacy rights doubt the tech giant's move. This is because they question the company's commitment to protecting users' privacy. Last June, Microsoft donated almost $200,000 to stop the approval of a law that would enhance the privacy rights of technology users in California. By asking the government to monitor facial recognition, Microsoft may be trying to preempt the damage that new laws may have on the company's business.

Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, talks with Recode’s Kara Swisher at the 2018 Code Conference. Smith reflects on what Microsoft learned from losing the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit in 2001, which broke the company up. He explains what tech companies that are in the crosshairs today should be thinking about their responsibility to the public. He also talks about how Microsoft has become politically active in the Trump era, particularly around immigration. He predicts a “tough summer” ahead if no compromise can be reached on the Obama-era immigration policy DACA. Plus: How Microsoft thinks about artificial intelligence, the Facebook hearings and diversity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Red Sox use Apple Watches to steal signs against the Yankees: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/05/sports/baseball/boston-red-sox-stealing-signs-yankees.html?_r=0 Microsoft tells the government they have to go through them for DREAMers (we incorrectly attribute a statement to Satya Nadella that was actually from Microsoft President Brad Smith): https://twitter.com/aarti411/status/905149737573113856 YouTube for iOS gets a live stream capability: https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/05/youtube-iphone-display-live-streaming/ Our thanks to Indochino (https://www.Indochino.com) where you'll find the best made to measure shirts and suits at a great price. Use the promo code "REBOUND" and get any premium suit for just $379.

This is a timely edition of the podcast, given the attention to cyber security, digital privacy and jobs creation in the United States. If you believe that technology can be a force for good in society, then you'll enjoy the opportunity presented in this discussion to drive positive change through Civic participation. My guest, Jonathan Friebert leads External Affairs for Microsoft's US Government Affairs Department and works with Microsoft partners to advocate for positive technology public policies through Microsoft's Voices for Innovation (VFI) initiative. VFI is a community of more than 90,000 technology leaders in the U.S. who focus on public policy advocacy in the technology sector on issues such as STEM funding, online privacy, software piracy, cloud computing regulations, cybersecurity, IP protection and government procurement mandates. The conversation focuses on computer science curriculum in schools, why the current technology legislation is outdated, online privacy and how government and the private sector can partner to deliver 21st century skills to US workers. Jonathan also points to some examples of partners that have engaged in the civic discourse to effect change. As I do with each of my podcasts, Jonathan and I also discuss his personal journey, role models and recommended books. Jonathan's Book Recommendation is: Rising Strong In our conversation on job and skills training, Jonathan talks about how "coding" could become the next trade taught in schools. Reference from the discussion are here - Wired The Next Big Blue-Collar Job Is Coding WHEN I ASK people to picture a coder, they usually imagine someone like Mark Zuckerberg: a hoodied college dropout who builds an app in a feverish 72-hour programming jag—with the goal of getting insanely rich and, as they say, “changing the world.” But this Silicon Valley stereotype isn’t even geographically accurate. The Valley employs only 8 percent of the nation’s coders. All the other millions? They’re more like Devon, a programmer I met who helps maintain a ­security-software service in Portland, Oregon. He isn’t going to get fabulously rich, but his job is stable and rewarding: It’s 40 hours a week, well paid, and intellectually challenging. “My dad was a blue-­collar guy,” he tells me—and in many ways, Devon is too. To learn more about Voices for Innovation, click here.  You can contact Jonathan directly at: jfrieb@microsoft.com For a broader view of the work of Microsoft's Government Affairs organization, see Microsoft President Brad Smith's Blog: HERE. If you have not listened to the podcast, now is your chance by going to iTunes , Google Play, Player FM, other Android podcast players or by going to my website “Ultimate Guide to Partnering“. You can also review this podcast by going to iTunes and searching “Ultimate Guide to Partnering” and clicking on the album art and hitting the ratings tab. This helps others find the podcast. You can also follow and like on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Thank you for following and listening. Vince Menzione

Helen Nissenbaum (@HNissenbaum) is on the faculty if Cornell Tech, on leave from NYU where she Professor of Media, Culture and Communication and Director of the Information Law Institute. Her eight books include Obfuscation: A User's Guide for Privacy and Protest, with Finn Brunton (MIT Press, 2015), Values at Play in Digital Games, with Mary Flanagan (MIT Press, 2014), and Privacy in Context: Technology, Policy, and the Integrity of Social Life (Stanford, 2010). Her research has been published in journals of philosophy, politics, law, media studies, information studies, and computer science. Grants from the National Science Foundation, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator have supported her work on privacy, trust online, and security, as well as studies of values embodied in design, search engines, digital games, facial recognition technology, and health information systems. Recipient of the 2014 Barwise Prize of the American Philosophical Association, Prof. Nissenbaum has contributed to privacy-enhancing software, including TrackMeNot (for protecting against profiling based on Web search) and AdNauseam (protecting against profiling based on ad clicks). Both are free and freely available. Nissenbaum holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Stanford University and a B.A. (Hons) from the University of the Witwatersrand. Before joining the faculty at NYU, she served as Associate Director of the Center for Human Values at Princeton University. In this episode, we discussed: the commercial and political contexts that animate policy discussion around privacy. the means by which citizens may use technology to obfuscate their lawful online activity and activism. points of alignment between consumer privacy advocates and the tech sector. policy recommendations. Resources: Cornell Tech NYU Steinhardt Department of Media, Culture and Communication Obfuscation: A User's Guide for Privacy and Protest by Finn Brunton and Helen Nissenbaum (MIT, 2016) The Crooked Timber of Humanity by Isaiah Berlin (Princeton, 2013) Ad Nauseum TrackMeNot   NEWS ROUNDUP Republican California Representative David Nunes, who is Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, which has been investigating Russia's role in the 2016 election, has said he'd like to know why the FBI recorded former national security advisor Michael Flynn's conversations with the Russian ambassador in the first place. He said it was an invasion of Flynn's privacy. Trump forced Flynn to resign two weeks ago, after it was revealed that Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence about Flynn's contacts with Russian officials days before the election. Trump himself did not inform Pence about Flynn's conversations until at least 2 weeks after Trump knew about them, according to the Washington Post. House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chafetz also said his committee had no plans to conduct a further investigation. Mike Debonis has the story in the Washington Post.  Politico reports that conservatives worried about leaks from federal employees have asked federal agencies to look into employees' use of the encrypted data app Signal. -- Amidst intense competition from T-Mobile and Sprint which have long offered unlimited data plans, Verizon will now itself offer unlimited data once again. Verizon had stopped offering unlimited data in 2011. -- The Chief of Samsung Group was arrested last week in South Korea. Forty-eight year old Jay Y. Lee, a member of South Korea's richest family,  is accused bribing individuals connected with South Korean President Park Geun Hye, who was impeached in December on corruption charges. Hyunjoo Jin and Joyce Lee cover this in Reuters. -- Amid increased cyber warfare, Microsoft President Brad Smith is calling for a "digital Geneva Convention". At the RSA security conference last week, Smith noted “Let's face it, cyberspace is the new battlefield." Smith said the convention should define rules of engagement, such as rules under which nation's would pledge not to disrupt civilian infrastructure. Elizabeth Weise covers this in USA Today. -- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg published a 5,800 word missive last week in which he took a stand in support of globalization and Facebook's role in it. The wave of nationalism that has swept the Western world has prompted a debate about the merits of globalization. Mike Isaac has the story in The New York Times. -- Snapchat set its valuation between $19.5 and $22 billion ahead of its long-anticipated IPO. In that range, it would be the largest IPO since Alibaba's in 2014. -- At the RSA conference last week, Assistant FBI Director Scott Smith said the federal law enforcement agency will be ramping up its use of predictive policing technology. Smith said, "It's where we are moving, and hope to go when you talk about predicting as opposed to proactive and reactive. Reactive is consistently where we have been, proactive means we're really trying to get ahead of it. But predictive is where we want to be. And that's where I know FBI Cyber Division is strongly moving towards as we speak ..." Catch Chris Bing's full story is in FedScoop. -- Finally, Senator Orrin Hatch--Utah Republican and head of the Republican High Tech Task Force--offered up his tech agenda last week. The agenda targets H1B visa reform and improving cross-border digital trade. Hatch also supports the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which passed the House earlier this month, which would require law enforcement officials to obtain search warrants for emails. Hatch's plan was praised by tech sector leaders, including Consumer Technology Association president Gary Shapiro. Alexis Kramer has more at Bloomberg BNA.

Website: https://www.vietsforafghans.org/ About us: https://www.vietsforafghans.org/about_us Donation link: https://www.vietsforafghans.org/donate Our primary focus areas right now: - Advocacy and allyship with the Afghan community - we want to center on and amplify Afghan voices, share our shared lived history when needed to advocate for change - Humanitarian parole - assisting 75 Afghans left behind seek HP and refuge in the U.S. - Sponsor Circle - forming circles of 5 private sponsors to help Afghan refugee families currently stuck on military bases.  Call to action: - Donate to our cause so we can help more families and scale our efforts - Become a sponsor through the Sponsor Circles Program - https://www.sponsorcircles.org (People can join us in the Seattle area or form their own circle and come to us for guidance and best practices based on our early learnings.)    Uyen Nguyen is a refugee that came to the United States at 11 years old as an unaccompanied minor. She is currently an entrepreneur, but spent a big part of her career as a scientist and an asset manager. She currently owns Nue, a restaurant located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle that specializes in global street food. Uyen is also a social entrepreneur. She co-founded Emerge Washington, PIVOT - the progressive Vietnamese American Organization, Nue Planet, and Viets for Afghans. She has been advocating for refugees and immigrants for years.   Thanh Tan is an Emmy Award-winning multimedia storyteller based in Seattle. She is creator/host of Second Wave, a groundbreaking podcast from PRX and KUOW tracing the experiences of Vietnamese refugees after the war ended in 1975. Her reporting and writing has been featured across all platforms, including This American Life, The Seattle Times and The New York Times. For the first 12 years of her career, she served as a journalist and on-air reporter for the CBS affiliate in Boise, Idaho, the ABC station in Portland, Oregon, The Texas Tribune in Austin, Texas, and The Seattle Times editorial board in Seattle, Washington. She has received two national Sigma Delta Chi awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and produced two regional Emmy-winning documentaries for Idaho Public Television (PBS), including a half-hour show on Idaho's local food movement. As a storyteller for Microsoft Public Affairs and Microsoft President Brad Smith from 2016 through 2020, she traveled to six continents - producing, reporting and explaining the broad impact of technology on global societies through more than 50 original video stories. In 2020, she co-founded Viet Fact Check, a bilingual website that provides fact-checked articles in Vietnamese and English. This past August, she helped to start Viets for Afghans, a volunteer coalition that's mobilizing Vietnamese Americans to help Afghan refugees. She is now balancing dual careers as a senior writer/storyteller for Starbucks Stories and independent filmmaker.  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vietnamese-with-kenneth-nguyen/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy