Silicon Valley & The U.S. Government: Public-Private Partnerships for AI and Innovation

Arati Prabhakar and Vivek Viswanathan are interviewed by Ernestine Fu Mak. Prabhakar is the former Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, DARPA, and NIST. Viswanathan is a SIEPR Policy Fellow who served in the White House as a senior policy advisor. Joe Felter and Eric Volmar provide special remarks.

The conversation focuses on the critical relationship between the public and private sectors in advancing technological innovation—from how DARPA’s grant to Moderna enabled the rapid COVID-19 vaccine response to how decades of semiconductor research power today’s devices.

The speakers also unpack the AI Executive Order, the challenges of regulating emerging technologies while fostering innovation, and the importance of including diverse stakeholders in shaping AI policy.

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This session is part of the “Silicon Valley & The U.S. Government” speaker series co-led by Ernestine Fu Mak, Steve Blank, Joe Felter, Eric Volmar, and Steve Bowsher.

Silicon Valley collaborations with the U.S. government have led to some of the most important technologies in our society. Driven by visionary leaders, these collaborations have overcome regulatory, business, and technological challenges to achieve exceptional innovation. The results of these innovations have addressed national issues and societal challenges.

As government and industry collaboration is more important than ever to accelerate private sector innovation and shape the future of technology, join us in hearing the personal accounts of technology experts, business executives, and public service leaders who have paved the way.