May 16, 2024
US Digital Trade Policy Is in Limbo. . . and That’s Not Good
As some nations move to clog up the internet with cross-border data impediments and forced data localization, the US remains on the sidelines, crippled by the Biden administration’s bow to the anti-global, anti-trade wing of the Democratic Party. A recent debate held by the Congressional Internet Caucus Academy illuminated the scope and depth of the US digital trade rules…
May 15, 2024
Automation Isn’t Just One Thing: Insights from Two Census Datasets
Two recent datasets from the Census help to illuminate what’s occurring in robotics and in artificial intelligence adoption. While they have their limitations, both the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES) for robotic equipment and the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS) AI supplement offer valuable information on the progress of automation. Annual Capital Expenditures Survey…
May 14, 2024
Another Day, Another Mindless Attack on Fossil Energy Producers
It is another day ending in “y” in the Beltway, and with it we have another “climate crisis” attack on the oil and gas companies — the very ones that produce efficient energy for the great mass of Americans and, indeed, the world. The latest example of this game of pin the climate blame on the energy…
May 14, 2024
Letter to the Editor: From Green Innovation to Climate Socialism
In an otherwise useful reminder of why the much-ballyhooed “transition” to unconventional energy won’t happen anytime soon—because the massive attendant costs can’t be borne by most of the world’s people confronted by the difficult realities of eking out a living—Bjorn Lomborg (“When the Only Problem Was Climate,” op-ed, May 9) nonetheless tries to have it both…
May 14, 2024
A New Proposed AI Regulation in California
California is the undisputed champion of state data regulation. In 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), making California the first state with a comprehensive data privacy law. CCPA has since been followed by the California Privacy Rights Act ballot measure in 2020, at least nine revisions to fix definitional problems…
May 14, 2024
Building Trust in AI: The Crucial Role of Education and Partnerships
Artificial Intelligence is transforming our world, revolutionizing industries, and reshaping our lives and work environments. As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, we must prioritize building trust in and educating the public on AI. This is where partnerships between industry leaders, academia, nonprofits, and community organizations can play a vital role. Establishing trust…
May 13, 2024
Wind Dreams
The optimal amount of practical wind power in the global energy mix is greater than zero. It is also much less than 100%. Today I argue why the proportion of wind power in the global electricity generation mix is always going to be closer to zero than to 100%. That doesn’t mean that wind power…
May 13, 2024
Innovating AI for a Global Market Is Hard to Do
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies pose risks to individuals and society. These vary from the mundane to the catastrophic. Will we be exposed to distasteful content on social media platforms? Will we be hit by out-of-control autonomous vehicles? Will AI classification models discriminately deny access to essential goods and services? Will large language models decimate white-collar workers’ jobs? And the big one: Will…
May 11, 2024
Bullish on Solar
I was reminded, following last week’s post on challenges faced by wind energy, that some people seem to view energy technologies like football teams. They have their favorite, who they support no matter how bad the losing position. And of course they also have their arch rivals, to be cheered against no matter what. Above all,…
May 10, 2024
Fifth Circuit Defies Supreme Court to Uphold Texas Age Verification Law for Pornography
Much of the field of Internet Law centers on the difficulty of how to apply offline law to online conduct. Because online activity is inherently communicative, the regulation of online expression is often complicated by the First Amendment. But this is apparently not a problem that troubles the Fifth Circuit. In Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton,…