Public Knowledge
July 11, 2024
Public Knowledge hosts Emerging Tech, which brings together public interest activists, policymakers, and companies working on cutting-edge technologies to help inform policymakers about the promise, potential pitfalls, and policy implications of rapidly evolving technologies that are dominating news headlines and impacting society in new ways.
Featuring industry experts from across the country, the event will feature daylong discussions, receptions and technology showcases, allowing guests to experience the latest technologies first-hand and meet the people driving the next generation of the Internet.
The 2024 event focused on generative AI, XR technology, and the decentralized web. Rep. Anna Eshowe (D-Calif.) delivered the keynote address. Rep. Eshowe reflected on the major advances in technology she has seen since first entering Congress in 1993 and the new challenges this rapid advancement poses for consumer protection and national security, particularly the emergence of large-scale language models and generative artificial intelligence (GAI). She highlighted the Creating Resources for Every American to Experiment with Artificial Intelligence Act of 2023 (CREATE AI Act), which she co-authored to create the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR), a shared national research infrastructure that provides AI researchers and students with access to the complex resources, data, and tools they need to develop safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence. The keynote address can be viewed here.
Speakers from the Foundation for American Innovation, Holo Hosting, and Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web joined moderator and policy advisor Nick Garcia from Public Knowledge to discuss “The Decentralized Web: Solutions to the Challenges of Centralized Technology.” Panelists discussed the history and trajectory of decentralized web technology, addressed issues around user experience and digital knowledge preservation, and highlighted the importance of user agency, trust, and competition in the digital age. You can watch the panel here.
Speakers from EQTYLab, Creative Commons Open Climate Campaign, BandLab, and Metagov gave a series of short talks about different approaches to designing and developing AI for the public good. Speakers discussed AI systems that integrate cryptographic authentication and verification to improve trust and reliability, generative AI systems that support musicians both through the creation of new tools and through autonomous practices for sourcing training data, and the growing public AI movement. Speaker presentations and discussions can be viewed here.
Speakers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Color of Change, and the XR Association joined moderator and CEO of Tech Policy Press, Justin Hendricks, in conversation about the intersection of XR technology. The panelists discussed how exciting developments in extended reality (XR) technology (including augmented reality) are bringing us closer to our future reality. [AR]virtual reality [VR]The diverse tech policy issues, including XR, AI, and mixed reality, overlap with some of the most pressing tech policy issues in Washington DC today, including privacy, AI, and inclusive design. The panel highlighted XR convergence and the rise of the industrial metaverse, as well as the challenges of policymaking and ensuring accessibility for all consumers. You can watch the panel here.
Professor Jeff Jarvis of the Newmark School of Journalism and Justin Hendricks, CEO and Editor of Tech Policy Press, each shared their perspectives on media and emerging technologies. Professor Jeff Jarvis spoke about “Journalism Competition and Preservation Act,” misinformation and disinformation, and the dangers and opportunities of AI for media companies. Justin Hendricks explained what distinguishes XR from other digital communications technologies and its impact on humanity. Professor Jeff Jarvis’s speech can be viewed here, and Justin Hendricks’ speech can be viewed here.
Emerging Tech 2024 also saw the launch of the Open Future Foundation report on Alignment Assembly on AI and the Commons. Report author Shannon Hong presented on the innovative Alignment Assembly methodology used to survey participants in the Open Culture movement about their attitudes towards AI, then moderated a conversation with co-authors Alek Tarkowski and Aviya Skowron, Head of Policy and Ethics at EleutherAI. The conversation introduced the report’s main findings: two relatively distinct attitudes towards AI held by the conversation participants. The report presentation and conversation can be found here.
Multiple companies and organizations participated in the event and exhibited some of the latest technologies discussed in the panels. The exhibit will provide guests with an opportunity to experience these emerging technologies first-hand and grasp the practical and policy potential of these devices and how they will impact society. Get a glimpse of the 2024 and even 2023 tech exhibit and learn more about this unique exhibit.
In 2024, the following companies joined:
BandLab, a platform and suite of tools that enable musicians to reach a wider audience, features a digital audio workstation.
The Cyber Collective, a group of cybersecurity and data privacy experts, technologists, activists, and storytellers advocating for a better Internet, featured tips, resources, and materials to stay safe online, including a password manager notebook.
EQTYLab, which develops easy-to-use tools to make AI models more transparent and collaborative, introduced its flagship AI system, ClimateGPT, which was featured in the AI for Public Good presentation.
The Filecoin Foundation for a Decentralized Web, a non-profit organization that manages the development of open source software and open protocols for a decentralized data storage and retrieval network, introduced Sterling Labs’ framework for data integrity.
Meta showcased the latest and greatest in XR technology, including the Meta Quest VR headset and RayBan Meta smart glasses.
The XR Association (XRA) showcased virtual reality (VR) hardware that allowed attendees to immerse themselves in immersive experiences, including the frenetic rhythm game Beat Saber and Meta’s flagship VR social application Horizon Worlds.
To sponsor the event, join a panel discussion, or join the 2025 Tech Showcase to share your own world-changing technology, please contact our Events Manager, Michele Ambadiang . For more information about this important event, please visit our YouTube channel.
