In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Brad Carson, President of Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) and former President of the University of Tulsa, to explore how frontier technologies like AI and synthetic biology are reshaping national security, public policy, and society.

Drawing on his experience as Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Brad explains why AI is a powerful—yet potentially dangerous—force within the military and beyond. He shares what motivated him to launch ARI and highlights the urgent need for transparent testing, safety standards, and guardrails to prevent harms ranging from misinformation and terrorism risks to harm to children.

Brad also outlines the policy innovations needed to keep pace, including government’s ability to hire top-tier technical talent and more agile regulatory approaches that leverage both public and private sector capabilities.

Looking ahead, he warns that AI capable of automating most cognitive work could upend the social contract, challenge democracy, and redefine what it means to be human. ARI’s mission, he emphasizes, is to help society navigate toward the brighter future—one where frontier technology lifts humanity rather than destabilizes it.

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