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Digital Freedom, AI Regulation, and the Fight for the Western Internet | The a16z Show
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Katherine Boyle speaks with Sarah Rogers, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, about the intersection of AI, free speech, and global information systems. They discuss how major technological shifts, from the printing press to the internet to AI, have reshaped communication and power, and why this moment may be even more consequential. Recorded at the a16z American Dynamism Summit, the conversation explores the role of public diplomacy in the digital age, the risks of censorship and overregulation, and how governments are approaching AI as both a national security priority and a platform for global influence. Rogers also highlights the importance of maintaining “AI with a Western soul,” and why preserving open systems and freedom of expression will shape the future of innovation. Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer 00:43 - Introduction & What is Public Diplomacy? 03:23 - Internet Freedom: From the Arab Spring to the Censorship Era 05:28 - The Digital Freedom Office & Reversing Government Censorship 07:02 - EU's Attacks on Free Speech & the Thierry Breton Letter 11:35 - AI with a Western Soul & the Global Regulatory Landscape 16:42 - AI, National Security & the Rule of Law 19:00 - How Government Can Encourage Free Speech in Tech Resources: Follow Sarah B. Rogers on X: https://x.com/UnderSecPD Follow Katherine Boyle on X: https://x.com/KTmBoyle Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see http://a16z.com/disclosures.
Segments Timeline
Trailer
"AI is going to be more important, not less important. And so the proliferation of a western AI stack should be a top priority for anyone who cares about freedom. The rules around AI are changing fast...."
Introduction & What is Public Diplomacy?
">> please welcome to the stage Katherine Bole and Sarah Rogers. Well, Under Secretary Rogers, it is an honor to have you here as you've been, I would argue, one of the most vocal proponents of free sp..."
Internet Freedom: From the Arab Spring to the Censorship Era
"through different permutations over time. If you think back to the era of the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street, I think the foreign policy establishment was really excited about internet freedom bec..."
The Digital Freedom Office & Reversing Government Censorship
"make people free. >> Yeah. No, I'd love to dive into that more because digital freedom is a national security issue, especially with our adversaries. you touched on it where it's never been easier for..."
EU's Attacks on Free Speech & the Thierry Breton Letter
">> Yeah. Yeah. No, and and you know, we've talked about on the stage today sort of the project maven moment as the turning point for tech and American dynamism. when you think about I is there a proje..."
AI with a Western Soul & the Global Regulatory Landscape
"that it is. >> Absolutely. And I I want to get more into that because yes, you've been very public. you've led um you know some of the legal sanctions on some of these bureaucrats who did try to to ha..."
AI, National Security & the Rule of Law
">> Yeah. Now I want to I I know you've been watching the Department of Wars negotiations with various LLM companies and you're a lawyer as are several of the under secretaries at state um who've been ..."
How Government Can Encourage Free Speech in Tech
"displacing the trust and safety team there and kind of, you know, changing, I would say, the kind of nature of free speech for for a lot of a lot of the country with that movement. But it's not someth..."