State of the Net 2018

Recent reports on Artificial Intelligence from the World Economic Forum and the AI Now Institute have reiterated a need for policymaker engagement and thoughtful examination of the impact of AI on society. As algorithmic decision making continues to grow more central to our lives, pervading fields such as policing, hiring, and entertainment, it has brought us into previously uncharted policy territory. These algorithms, however, are treated as "black boxes", where decisions are made through mathematical heuristics rather than linear logic. With the discovery of biases inherent to the machine learning process, how can companies, consumers, and government ensure that these technologies are used for good? Join us as we discuss the impact of these algorithms, the push for algorithmic fairness, and the attempt to build transparent algorithms that can explain their reasoning.

More and more Internet policy is finding its way into international trade deals. This development reflects the realization by governments, companies, and activists that rules governing digital data now exert a larger impact on GDP growth than the centuries-old trade in goods. The Trump Administration is in negotiations on several fronts to revise existing trade deals including NAFTA. Items new to the negotiating table include algorithm integrity, micro-advertising, and intermediary liability protections. Other familiar trade issues include privacy and intellectual property rules. Join our panel of experts while they ponder the the creation of Internet policy by international trade.

We are on the cusp of a generational shift --- in wireless networks. New generations takeover from the old ones -- because they have to. The next generation of wireless Internet -- dubbed 5G -- is coming fast because radically new technology is required to connect us faster and better. From augmented reality to autonomous cars, we are facing a new era of connectivity. Also, 5G is needed to connect the so-called Internet of Things and, basically, the Internet of Everything. Chances are your recent holiday shopping spree will help catapult us to where each American home will have 50 connected devices (an estimate by Gartner for the year 2020). But the future will require some creative engineering, bold policy decisions, and all of us working in the same direction. Our panel will look at the near future of 5G wireless -- if we make it happen.