Rob Atkinson appeared on TechSurge: The Deep Tech Podcast to discuss whether AI will take away people's jobs, technology is eroding privacy, and the pace of technology advancement too fast.

Episode Notes

Will AI will take away all of our jobs? Is technology eroding privacy? Is the pace of technology advancement too fast?

‍We address these questions and more topics around global science and technology policy with Rob Atkinson, founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Speaking with Celesta Capital founding partner Nic Brathwaite, Rob dives into the intersection of technology, innovation, and public policy, covering topics such as ethical AI, the role of China in the global innovation race, and the realities facing smaller economies in blossoming into tech hubs. Rob shares his insights on innovation economics, government policy, and the critical role of entrepreneurs in shaping the future of tech.

Quotes

On the mission of innovation policy and government’s role:

“What our mission is, is to help policymakers do the right thing to drive more innovation. And we work really hard to get them to not do bad things, which is probably more the case than the former nowadays, where there are lots of policy efforts to squash innovation, all in the name of protecting the public or other causes, but often they’re misguided.”

On the global technology race and competition:

“Countries know they missed the boat last time, but they don’t want to miss the boat this time. You’ve got countries like China, Korea, and Israel really focusing on these new technologies, including deep tech. While that’s great for the world because faster innovation benefits humanity, it also means a much tougher environment for U.S. innovators who are facing unprecedented global competition.”

On how smaller economies can leverage innovation economics:

“Size itself isn’t a limiter. In fact, smaller countries like Singapore and Israel have done an incredible job scaling digital technologies globally. The bigger challenge for developing countries is twofold: adopting technologies faster and identifying and nurturing those key entrepreneurs who are willing to build global businesses.”

On AI regulation and the risks of over-regulating:

“I’m very skeptical, frankly, of having AI-specific regulation. I don’t know that we need it. A lot of these issues—like bias or safety—are already regulated through existing systems. I think we’re better off thinking about specific application areas, like facial recognition, and seeing if actual harms emerge before we go too far and stifle innovation.”

On innovation and the need for political will:

“You have to want it. If your political system is lazy, corrupt, or thinks oil and gas are the answer, you're not going to foster innovation. You’ve got to be hungry for it. Innovation isn't just about creating something cool—it’s about transforming entire industries, often through creative destruction, and that’s where the real value comes from.”