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Top in Tech

Top in Tech

By: Global Counsel
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‘Top in tech’ is brought to you by the Global Counsel tech policy team. Each fortnight, the team lift the lid on the latest in ‘techlash’, identifying where the debate is heading in London, Brussels, and Washington DC, the politics (and geopolitics) behind it, and what this might mean for the apps and online services we use every day.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global Counsel
Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Davos 2026, the anniversary of the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan, and latest progress on EU AI adoption.
    Jan 29 2026

    In this episode of Top in Tech, David Swanson, Senior Associate is joined by Megan Stagman, Director, Ysabel Chen, Associate, Divya Singh, Senior Associate and Saskia Giraud-Reeves, Senior Associate to reflect on key takeaways from this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, mark the anniversary of the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, and compare progress on AI adoption in the UK and EU.

    They discuss how this year’s Davos differed from previous gatherings, the evolving debate on digital sovereignty, the role of technology and energy policy in shaping AI adoption, and the key issues to watch in 2026.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    41 mins
  • Top in Tech: navigating AI safety, sovereignty, and regulation in 2026
    Jan 15 2026

    In this episode of Top in Tech, Tom Doherty, Director, is joined by Gosia Szczodrowska and Fergus Cameron Watt, Associate Directors, to unpack the fast-moving technology policy landscape in the first few weeks of 2026. The discussion ranges across AI safety, online harms, and the political dynamics shaping regulation in the UK and the EU, as governments grapple with how to balance economic growth, online safety and geopolitical pressures.

    The conversation explores the fallout of the widespread use of X/Grok's AI tool to generate non-consensual intimate images and the balancing act being played in the UK and EU with domestic and international politics. Beyond safety, the episode looks at the rising importance of digital sovereignty, the mounting strain AI is placing on copyright regimes, and why debates around authorship, training data, and enforcement are far from settled.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    24 mins
  • 2026 for the FCC: what does the year hold for an agency with evolving powers and priorities?
    Jan 8 2026

    In this episode of Top in Tech, Megan Stagman, Director, and Tom Wheeler, Senior Adviser and former US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair, examine how the FCC has emerged as a central actor in US technology as well as national security policy in 2026. They discuss the agency's underpinning remit, and look at how that is evolving to meet new technological needs and priorities.


    They explore what the 'Covered List' mean for Chinese technologies in the US, what to expect from spectrum auctions in the coming months, and the extent to which the FCC's deregulation aligns with standard behaviour from successive FCC leaderships (or constitutes a more Trump-ian angle). They also examine the concept of 'public interest' under the FCC, and explores whether there might be more cases like that of Jimmy Kimmel to come.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    35 mins
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