Episodes

In this episode of Two Think Minimum, MIT Professor Catherine Tucker discusses her research on competition policy and artificial intelligence. The discussion focuses on how AI's unique cost structures differs from that of traditional digital economics, how economists think about AI, and the implications of AI for competition policy and antitrust enforcement. Tucker explains that the current high fixed and marginal costs in AI are likely temporary, and that it's difficult to predict which firms w...

In this episode of Two Think Minimum, Caroline Cecot, an associate professor of law at Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, talks about her recent article "The Meaning of ‘Silence.’" The discussion focuses on the potential consequences of narrowing the applicability of the Chevron doctrine and consequences on the major questions doctrine. She discusses the broader implications of overruling or limiting Chevron deference and the role of cost-benefit analysis in agency decision-ma...

FTC Actions on Antitrust Reforms with Ginger Jin and Liad Wagman by Technology Policy Institute

The latest episode of the TPI Two Think Minimum podcast featured guest Megan McArdle, discussing pressing issues at the intersection of technology and society. The podcast covered several topics related to technology, policy, and societal impact, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of the implications of technological advancements and regulatory actions. Key topics included the proposed U.S. legislation to ban or force a sale of TikTok over national security concerns, the biases detec...

Growing Threats to Wireless Communications and How to Address Them by Technology Policy Institute

The journey to implementing spectrum auctions was not without its challenges. Evan Kwerel shed light on the initial resistance, particularly from the broadcasting industry and legislators. Concerns about market concentration and the potential costs of spectrum use were at the forefront of the debate. Despite these hurdles, the need for government revenue and the inefficiency of the existing system for cellular licenses were catalysts for change. Paul Milgrom provided a fascinating comparison bet...

The Perverse Effects of the Robinson-Patman Act https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/antibull31÷=37&id=&page=

Joe Nocera Discusses the Covid Policy Big Fail by Technology Policy Institute

On the most recent episode of TPI's podcast "Two Think Minimum," Dr. Meicen Sun, assistant professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign joined TPI's Scott Wallsten to discuss her research on the effects of a country's decision to control international internet traffic. She finds that China's Great Firewall has helped increase profits of Chinese firms, but at the cost of reducing research quality as scientific collaboration and connections wither....

Freedom of Speech in the Digital Age with Professor Jeff Kosseff by Technology Policy Institute

On the latest episode of TPI's podcast "Two Think Minimum," Xiaomeng Lu, a director at Eurasia Group, discussed the evolving dynamics of US-China relations related to technology policy with TPI's Scott Wallsten and Sarah Oh Lam. The discussion included implications of the CHIPS Act, strategic competition, semiconductor manufacturing, and the broader geopolitical landscape shaped by technology. The conversation highlighted how policy shifts and strategic decisions in both countries are shaping th...

How Technology Will Change Higher Education with Michael Smith by Technology Policy Institute

In the most recent episode of TPI's "Two Think Minimum" podcast, Michael Katz, Professor Emeritus at the Haas School of Business & Department of Economics, joined Tom Lenard, Sarah Oh Lam, and Scott Wallsten to discuss the intricacies of antitrust in light of current cases. The dialogue covered exclusionary behavior, with Katz highlighting potential antitrust agency strategies like the "No Economic Sense Test," and explored market definitions. The team also discussed ongoing trials, providing in...

On the latest episode of Two Think Minimum, Technology Policy Institute Senior Fellow Sarah Oh Lam and President and Senior Fellow Scott Wallsten welcomed Eugene Volokh, a distinguished law professor at UCLA School of Law, to discuss his new law review article on LLMs and liability for AI output. This episode focuses on the legal implications of AI-generated content, particularly in the realm of libel, the current legal landscape, and the potential need for new legislation to address emerging AI...

AI and Tech in Europe with European Parliament’s Peter Brown by Technology Policy Institute

On the latest episode of Two Think Minimum, TPI President and Senior Fellow Scott Wallsten and Senior Fellow Sarah Oh Lam interviewed Google’s Head of Economic Policy Research, Dr. Guy Ben-Ishai, about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on economic performance and policy. They delve into AI’s impacts on productivity and how the technology’s economic benefits will be distributed.

Ryan Vaughan of Needham & Company delves into the world of mergers in the media, tech, and telecom industries, drawing insights from the recent attempted merger between Standard General and Tegna.

On the latest TPI Two Think Minimum podcast, Tom Lenard and Sarah Oh Lam interview John Samples from the Oversight Board about the board's policy advisory opinion on COVID-19 misinformation. The podcast covers the challenges of content moderation on a large platform like Facebook, with millions of pieces of content needing to be dealt with daily and the need for a more variegated decision-making process involving more interest groups. They also discuss the trade-offs involved in COVID-19 policie...

On this episode of Two Think Minimum we welcome Professor Kristina McElheran. We explore the impact of artificial intelligence and related technologies on workers, workplaces, and productivity. Dr. McElheran shares her expertise on the economics and strategic management of technological change and how digitization is changing how firms innovate and make data-driven decisions.

On this episode of Two Think Minimum, we welcome Greg Ip, Chief Economics Commentator at the Washington Post, to discuss the topic of industrial policy. Greg shares his insights on the role of government in shaping and directing economic activity in key sectors, such as manufacturing, technology, and energy. He explores the history of industrial policy in the United States, from its early days in the post-war era to the present day, and examines how it has evolved. Greg also discusses the challe...

This episode of Two Think Minimum focuses on prediction markets and their regulation. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission recently tried to shut down Predictit, a leading prediction market, but the Fifth Circuit granted a temporary injunction to allow the site to continue operating. We interview two executives of Aristotle, the firm that incubated and helps run Predictit: John Phillips, CEO of Aristotle, and David Mason, Aristotle’s general counsel.

Jane Horvath joins Two Think Minimum to chat about privacy policy. She shares the serendipitous way she became a privacy expert in the early days at a technology start up. She also discusses the need for a baseline omnibus privacy law in the US. Jane recently became a partner at Gibson Dunn, where she is co-chair of the Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation Practice Group. She built and led Apple's privacy legal team, most recently serving as Apple's Chief Privacy Officer. And before that,...

Sujit Raman discusses the current state, regulatory framework, and future of cryptocurrency with us on Two Think Minimum. Sujit is General Counsel at TRM Labs, a leading blockchain and Web3analytics company that helps organizations detect, assess, and investigate crypto related fraud and financial crime. Previously, he was a partner at Sidley Austin, where he focused his practice on cybersecurity and data privacy issues, internal investigations, and white collar criminal defense. Earlier in his ...

Stuart Brotman joins Two Think Minimum to discuss the most recent Texas and Florida litigation concerning content moderation and the First Amendement. He shares ideas for creating cultural change around our nation's value of free speech. Stuart is the inaugural Howard Distinguished Endowed Professor of Media Management and Law and Beaman Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has served in four presidential administrations on a bipartisan basis...