Technology
Cyber Security
Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin are deeply concerned about the deployment of tools like ChatGPT. As co-founders of the Center for Human Technology, they are on a mission to close the gap between what the world hears publicly about A.I. and what the people closest to the risks and harms inside A.I. labs are telling them.
Two champions of free speech, one of whom sits on the Facebook Oversight Board, delve into the legal and ethical implications of content moderation online. How do social networks strike a balance between societal values, individual expression, and online safety? How should we find an equilibrium between open dialogue and harmful content?
In this new Aspen Ideas format, all attendees gather each morning to kick off the day by exploring a current issue of deep complexity. The rapid growth of generative A.I. — surpassing expectations with over 100 million users of the technology in a short span of time — is a testament to its distinct intelligence and unique approach to problem-solving. There are many upsi...
As the debate continues over whether generative A.I. will bring about an evolutionary or revolutionary change in cybersecurity, concerns are growing about implications for personal-data security and privacy. What’s the potential impact of generative A.I. on elections, financial transactions, and privacy? And most importantly, what role should the government play in protect...
Cybersecurity gaps in the technological systems that run our lives are becoming more and more apparent. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear about another major institution hit with an attack. Many hospitals and healthcare organizations have suffered interruptions of service because of cyber hacks and ransomware, and the consequences for patients can literally be life o...
We are in a golden age for organized crime and corruption, according to watchdog groups. Bad actors have spent decades building tangled webs of enablers and tactics, and they now have more resources and capital than ever to invest in new crime enterprises.
For years, experts have predicted that the next major conflict would take place inside our computers, rather than on physical battlefields. But the initial months of Russia's war in Ukraine have seen a surprising absence of cyber warfare — or has it? What’s the real role digital attacks have played in that war, and what have we learned about how cyber war works — and doesn...
For the last twenty years, technology has been the most powerful force of globalization, but it now appears that the next decades will be defined by how the world splinters into different tech camps—changes driven by societal values, human rights, and nationalistic interests. Advanced technologies—from 5G to semiconductors to quantum computing—are the new currency of power...
The world is different in 2022. As we begin to emerge from a global pandemic we’re faced with a barrage of new crises that are shaking nations to their core: war, food shortages, broken supply chains, bioterrorism, energy shortages, and inflation. Will data-driven intelligence, now a critical component for countries, business managers, and economic enterprises large and sm...
Cryptocurrency is largely seen as an investment vehicle in the United States, with regular reporting on its value in the marketplace. But in other countries, especially in the developing world, such currencies are increasingly used for routine transactions, displacing more traditional money. There is growing trust and interest in this blockchain-based mechanism for both tr...
A cyberattack can disrupt a hospital’s oxygen supply, disable cancer-fighting radiation therapy, divert emergency vehicles, and force surgeries to be canceled. While data security has received a lot of attention, the risk that hackers will hold basic healthcare services hostage has far greater implications for patient safety. Ransomware attacks have already struck hundreds...
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the latest reminder of the high cost of war, in lives lost and broken, ruined cities, and damaged lands, and also in the shockwaves that ripple through global energy, mineral, and food markets. Worsening climate change will be equally disruptive, with profound effects on peace and security. U.S. Armed Forces have been wrestling with what th...
Any organization, public or private, with any connection to Ukraine, should be exercising extreme technological vigilance, says cybersecurity expert Sandra Joyce, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Intelligence at Mandiant. In addition to the attacks on the ground, Russia could come at Ukraine virtually, with a wide range of targets and tactics and varying levels...
When you tick a box on an online privacy notice, just how much personal information are you giving away? Is the tradeoff worthwhile? When it comes to data, the relationship between companies and consumers is uneven — customers are getting a raw deal because there's no limit on what a company can collect. Who's job is it to regulate this space and better protect consumers'...
Instead of coming together during the pandemic, many Americans have grown farther apart. People are increasingly living in different realities of news, politics, and information, which is putting public health, elections, and democracy at risk. False and misleading information online are partly to blame, says Vivian Schiller, director of Aspen Digital. "Much of this stems...
Cryptocurrency is revolutionizing the global financial system and shaking up our perception of trust. Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum, says the digital currency’s open-source, decentralized system is the opposite of what we’re used to — a bank-led financial system built in backrooms. “It’s a new kind of trust foundation for the planet,” he says. In a conversation with...
Much of the way we experience the Web today was fueled by venture capital. This Silicon Valley model helped drive an explosion of innovation — but innovation that favored huge wins and outsize returns. Entrepreneurs discovered they could achieve both by using our own data to get us hooked. Now our digital interaction is largely brokered by private companies, and their succ...
Americans are more connected than ever – at home, at work, and in everyday life. Yet few people understand the privacy trade-offs that come with each connection, and companies don’t make it easy to find out. How can we ensure consumers have a fair say in how companies use their personal data? Allstate CEO Tom Wilson and Harvard University lecturer Bruce Schneier sit down w...
Facebook holds more power globally than do few other private or public-sector entities. So, hearing from one of its top execs often sheds light on what to expect. The company’s chief product officer, Chris Cox, joins The Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson to discuss a wide range of issues regarding the ever-evolving creative economy. What’s the role of virtual reality in the y...
We are increasingly living in different realities of news, politics, and information — a trend that’s undermining the shared foundation of “truth” necessary for proper functioning of society. At risk are public health, elections, and democracy itself. But America’s “fake news” problem actually runs much deeper. What are the roots of our broken information ecosystems, who i...