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Daniel Castro

Daniel Castro

Vice President and Director, Center for Data Innovation

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 202-626-5742

Twitter: @castrotech

Daniel Castro is vice president at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and director of ITIF's Center for Data Innovation.

Castro writes and speaks on a variety of issues related to information technology and internet policy, including privacy, security, intellectual property, Internet governance, e-government, and accessibility for people with disabilities. His work has been quoted and cited in numerous media outlets, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, USA Today, Bloomberg News, and Bloomberg Businessweek. In 2013, Castro was named to FedScoop’s list of the “top 25 most influential people under 40 in government and tech.” In 2015, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker appointed Castro to the Commerce Data Advisory Council.

Castro previously worked as an IT analyst at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) where he audited IT security and management controls at various government agencies. He contributed to GAO reports on the state of information security at a variety of federal agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In addition, Castro was a visiting scientist at the Software Engineering Institute in Pittsburgh, PA, where he developed virtual training simulations to provide clients with hands-on training of the latest information security tools.

He has a B.S. in foreign service from Georgetown University and an M.S. in information security technology and management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Recent Publications

July 1, 2024

European Commission Threatens Free Online Services with Misunderstood Ads Ruling, Says ITIF

Following the European Commission notifying Meta of its preliminary finding that the social network’s advertising model violates European law, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) Vice President Daniel Castro issued the following statement.

June 28, 2024

Podcast: Information Technology Is Increasingly Critical and Increasingly Demonized, With Daniel Castro

Over the last several years, public opinion on technology and the use of data has shifted from excitement to skepticism to fear.

June 25, 2024

The Surgeon General’s Misleading Claims About Social Media’s Risk To Children Should Come With Its Own Warning Label

The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy published a New York Times op-ed arguing that social media poses such a threat to children’s mental health that these platforms should come with a warning label like cigarettes and alcohol. However, his argument is flawed on multiple levels: There is no scientific consensus that social media is causing mental health issues among youth; social media use among youth does not present a similar level of risk as tobacco and alcohol use; and the alleged risks of social media come from interaction with specific types of content, not from the platforms themselves.

June 10, 2024

A Techno-Economic Agenda for the Next Administration

The next administration needs to place innovation, productivity, and competitiveness at the core of its economic policy. To that end, this report offers a comprehensive techno-economic agenda with 82 actionable policy recommendations.

May 29, 2024

State Department Risks Overlooking Potential of AI For Human Rights

President Biden’s 2023 executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) directed the State Department to work with other agencies and stakeholders to develop guidance for identifying and managing human rights risks associated with AI. As the State Department prepares this guidance, it should emphasize that in many cases, the risk of inaction—the missed opportunities to use AI to improve human rights—presents the most significant threat, and it should prioritize deploying AI to support and enhance human rights.

May 23, 2024

Podcast: Data-Driven Policy and Innovation With AI, Featuring Daniel Castro

Daniel Castro appeared on the AI50 podcast with Hanh Brown to discuss data governance, privacy policies, and the transformative power of data-driven innovation.

May 21, 2024

What Does the Public Think About AI?

In a nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, Public First and the Center for Data Innovation track public attitudes and perceptions of artificial intelligence.

May 20, 2024

Picking the Right Policy Solutions for AI Concerns

Some concerns are legitimate, but others are not. Some require immediate regulatory responses, but many do not. And a few require regulations addressing AI specifically, but most do not.

May 9, 2024

Comments to the UK Competition and Markets Authority Regarding the Microsoft-Mistral AI Partnership

Given that the Microsoft-Mistral AI partnership does not create a relevant merger situation, does not harm competition, and has a pro-competitive impact on the market, the CMA should not intervene.

May 9, 2024

Comments to the UK Competition and Markets Authority Regarding the Amazon-Anthropic Partnership

Given that the Amazon-Anthropic partnership does not create a relevant merger situation, does not harm competition, and has a pro-competitive impact on the market, the CMA should not intervene.

May 9, 2024

Comments to the UK Competition and Markets Authority Regarding Microsoft and Inflection AI

Given that Microsoft’s non-exclusive licensing of Inflection AI’s model and its hiring of former Inflection AI employees does not create a relevant merger situation, does not harm competition, and has a pro-competitive impact on the market, the CMA should not intervene.

April 25, 2024

Letter in Support of the “The Future of AI Innovation Act”

This legislation lays out a proactive agenda to foster responsible AI development and deployment in the United States.

More publications by Daniel Castro

Recent Events and Presentations

September 12, 2024

AR/VR Policy Conference 2024

Join the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and the XR Association for the fourth annual AR/VR Policy Conference.

June 5, 2024

Policy, Governance, and Ethical Considerations In AI

Daniel Castro spoke about policy, governance, and ethical considerations in AI at a conference hosted by the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering and the National Academy of Engineering Forum on Complex Unifiable Systems.

May 21, 2024

Insights on US Public Opinion on AI

Watch now for a Capitol Hill event covering an in-depth survey by ITIF’s Center for Data Innovation and Public First about what of Americans thinks about AI, how these views have shifted over the past year, and the implications of these beliefs for businesses, policymakers, and society at large.

May 16, 2024

Data-Driven Policy and Innovation With AI

Daniel Castro speaks about data, tech and policy at an event hosted by Hanh Brown, CEO of AI50.

May 9, 2024

The Impact of Generative AI on Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation

Daniel Castro spoke about the impact of generative AI on misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation at the Defiende La Verdad Summit for Latino Media Professionals hosted by NALEO.

April 24, 2024

Harnessing AI for Carbon Neutrality

Watch now for a panel discussion to explore the current landscape of AI applications in transitioning to a greener economy, identify key areas ripe for further exploration, and discuss actionable policy measures to foster innovation and adoption.

March 27, 2024

Generative AI and Congressional Action

Daniel Castro and Aswin Prabhakar speak at Broadband Breakfast's panel on generative AI and how that may impact legislation and congressional action this year.

February 12, 2024

Youth Online Safety at the 20th Annual State of the Net Conference

Daniel Castro spoke at the 20th Annual State of the Net Conference, joining an expert panel to discuss age verification, privacy, and free speech for youth online.

December 5, 2023

Unveiling AI Policy Insights: Global Trends and Regulatory Strategies

Daniel Castro speaks at the 34th Annual Greek Economic Summit on global AI policy.

December 5, 2023

Building the Foundations for a Successful Metaverse: Opportunities and Challenges

Daniel Castro speaks on a panel about how policymakers can support societal and economic benefits from the metaverse at an event in Washington, D.C. sponsored by The Economist.

November 16, 2023

Agreeing to Disagree: The Need for More Interoperable Tech Policies

Watch now for a panel discussion about the increasingly complex web of laws and regulations impacting the digital economy and the benefits, risks, and opportunities of creating more compatible tech policies.

September 14, 2023

AR/VR Policy Conference 2023

Join the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and the XR Association for the third annual AR/VR Policy Conference. The event will feature a series of expert talks and panels discussing critical policy questions covering:

More Events & Presentations by Daniel Castro

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