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 American Innovation Foundation, Holohosting, and the Filecoin Foundation for a Decentralized Web spoke with Public Knowledge moderator and policy advisor Nick Garcia. The Decentralized Web: A Solution to the Challenges of Centralized TechnologyThe panelists discussed the history and trajectory of decentralized web technologies, addressed issues related to user experience and digital knowledge preservation, and emphasized the importance of user agency, trust, and competition in the digital age. Watch the panel here.
Speakers from EQTYLab, Creative Commons Open Climate Campaign, BandLab and MetaGov gave short talks on different approaches to design and development. AI for the public goodSpeakers 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 autonomous practices for sourcing training data, and the growing public AI movement. Speakers’ presentations and discussions can be viewed here.
Speakers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Color of Change, and the XR Association spoke with moderator Justin Hendricks, CEO of Tech Policy Press. Intersection with XR technologyPanelists noted that exciting developments in extended reality (XR) technologies, including augmented 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 Hendrix, CEO and Editor of Tech Policy Press, each gave a speech. Media and Emerging Technology PerspectivesProfessor Jeff Jarvis spoke about “Journalism Competition and Protection Act”, misinformation and disinformation, and the dangers and opportunities of AI for media companies. Justin Hendrix spoke about the characteristics that distinguish XR from other digital communication technologies and its impact on humanity. You can watch Professor Jeff Jarvis’s speech here and Justin Hendrix’s speech 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:
BandLaba platform and suite of tools that enable musicians to reach a wider audience, featured a digital audio workstation.
Cyber Collectivea group of cybersecurity and data privacy experts, technologists, activists, and storytellers advocating for a better Internet, featured tips, resources, and literature to keep yourself safe online, including a password manager notebook.
EQTY LabDeveloping easy-to-use tools to increase transparency and collaboration in AI models introduced ClimateGPT, the flagship AI system featured in the AI for Public Good presentation.
Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Weba non-profit organization that manages the development of open source software and open protocols for distributed data storage and retrieval networks, introduced Starling Labs’ Data Integrity Framework.
Metashowcased the latest and greatest in XR technology, including the Meta Quest VR headset and RayBan Meta smart glasses.
XR Association (XRA)exhibited virtual reality (VR) hardware allowing 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.
