Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Brave Technologist

Ken Liu (Computer Science PhD at the Stanford AI Lab) and Erik Chi (CS PhD at UMich) are the Creators of the Open Anonymity Project, which lets people prove things about themselves online without revealing their identity. In this episode we explore what it means for AI systems to "know" you; why today's so-called privacy modes fall short; and how the next generation of AI systems could be built with privacy as a default, rather than an afterthought.

Key Takeaways: 

• What "unlinkable inference" means and why it changes the privacy model of AI chat tools

• What actually happens to your data the moment you hit "send" in a typical AI system

• Why incognito mode in AI tools is largely a UI illusion, rather than a real privacy protection

• The role of metadata in identifying and profiling users, and how "secretary models" could enable personalization without sacrificing privacy

• How anti-censorship and privacy intersect in a future dominated by agentic AI systems

• Why now is the time to rethink assumptions about privacy in AI tools

Guest Bio:

Ken Liu is a Computer Science PhD student at the Stanford AI Lab, advised by Percy Liang and Sanmi Koyejo. His research focuses on foundation models and data/user privacy, and the intersection between the two. His recent work studies the privacy properties of AI (such as membership, memorization, and unlearning), and various AI privacy tools (such as anonymization, differential privacy, and federated learning). His papers have earned spotlights at top venues, and his findings have been deployed at scale on Android. Ken also led a team to a 1st-place win at the US-UK PETs Prize sponsored by the White House OSTP and the UK Government. Previously, Ken spent time at Google DeepMind, Carnegie Mellon University, Meta, Apple, and Amazon.

Erik Chi is a CS PhD at UMich, advised by J. Alex Halderman. His research focuses on security and privacy, particularly network security and anti-censorship. He worked on a new standard for implementing and distributing censorship circumvention protocols—a standard that's now being adopted by VPN vendors to help millions of users access the free Internet. He also did content moderation (surveillance) and recommendation systems at ByteDance before realizing how censors will evolve in the AI era.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Ed Gaudet, CEO and founder of Censinet, shares how cybersecurity threats have evolved from data breaches to full-scale operational disruptions, and why modern resilience strategies must go beyond prevention. He explains why ransomware has fundamentally changed the stakes, how AI is rapidly expanding the attack surface, and what organizations are getting wrong about risk. He also highlights the human and cultural factors that remain the weakest link in security and why leadership is critical to driving real change.

• How ransomware has raised the stakes from financial loss to real-world consequences, including risks to human life

• The overlooked ways AI is entering organizations through existing tools, and how this is creating new vulnerabilities

• Why organizations must shift from prevention-only strategies to prioritizing response and recovery capabilities

• How human behavior and organizational culture continue to be the biggest risk factors in cybersecurity

• What a modern, holistic resilience strategy looks like across people, processes, and technology

Guest Bio: Ed Gaudet, CEO and founder of Censinet, is a seasoned software executive with over 25 years of experience driving product innovation, marketing strategy, and sales growth across startups and public companies. As CMO at Imprivata, he led the company's transformation into healthcare and later served as GM of the award-winning Imprivata Cortext platform. Previously, he led corporate development, sales, and marketing at Liquid Machines, helping shape its go-to-market strategy ahead of its acquisition by Check Point Software.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Jourdan Hathaway, Chief Business Officer at General Assembly, discusses her experience integrating AI agents into her admissions team, including stories of real-world complexities, edge cases, and unexpected messiness of the implementation. We also explore the evolving AI skills gap and how companies have now shifted from expecting basic AI literacy to prioritizing skills like AI workflow design, critical thinking, and the ability to build AI-driven business solutions.

Key Takeaways: 

• Which new human roles are emerging around AI optimization and oversight, even as repetitive tasks are automated

• How human strengths like judgment and ambiguity navigation remain critical as AI takes over first drafts, pattern recognition, and execution speed

• What implementing AI agents actually looks like in practice, and why edge cases and human psychology matter more than expected

The evolving role of mentorship and how being specific, proactive, and action-oriented makes people far more likely to invest in your growth

Guest Bio: Jourdan Hathaway is Chief Business Officer at General Assembly (a global leader in AI skills training), where she oversees marketing, sales enablement, client delivery, admissions, student experience, career services, alumni relations, and partnerships. 

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Andy Maskin, Director of AI Creative Technology at Publicis Sapient, explains why brands are shifting from SEO to "AI visibility," where success is no longer about ranking on search engines but instead showing up in tools like ChatGPT. He also explains how agentic AI fails without clean data and modernized systems.

• How MCP (Model Context Protocol) enables AI agents to communicate and coordinate tasks using natural language across systems

• Why the most transformative AI use cases won't come from prototypes, and how technical debt is a hidden blocker

• Ways AI is pushing companies to rethink customer experience, such as eliminating friction from chatbots

• Examples of AI transformation features from companies layering agentic systems on top of legacy infrastructure and unclean data

Guest Bio:
Andy Maskin is Director of AI Creative Technology at Publicis Sapient. He's a Generative AI SME in both theory and practice, with a current focus on agentic marketing applications. Across his career he's focused on the way technology is impacting consumer trends, and has led and built innovation labs. Andy's thought leadership has been published in major trade publications.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Dr. Maha Hosain Aziz, an international relations professor at NYU and Global Foresight Advisor at the World Economic Forum, highlights the often-overlooked societal, economic, and psychological impacts of AI adoption. She explores the growing anxiety around job displacement and the emerging "occupational identity crisis" occurring as AI reshapes industries and how people define purpose and stability in their careers. She also reveals how shifts in world order, the rise of tech companies as powerful global actors, and increasing mental health concerns are all interconnected in the age of AI.

Key Takeaways: 

• Mental health challenges linked to AI-driven uncertainty

• The Rising reliance on AI for emotional support

• How global power dynamics are shifting as BigTech gains influence

• The "occupational identity crisis" as AI reshapes our relationship with work

Guest Bio:
Dr Maha Hosain Aziz has crafted a portfolio career in global risk and future trends based at NYU's MA International Relations Program: She is a professor leading the annual global risk prediction project with crowdsourced consultancy Wikistrat, and creating data-driven risk indices and apps; a risk and foresight expert advising the World Economic Forum; co-chair in AI policy at think tank The Digital Economist; and senior advisor (geopolitics) at impact firm Enlighten Advisory.

She has written a trilogy of books: 7-time award-winning bestseller Future World Order (2019 & 2025), Global Spring (2026) and 10 Shock Events By 2030 (2026). She created the 10-time award-winning VR/AR political comic The Global Kid (2021), which is based on the 7-time award-winning original comic she drew (2016). She's also working on Evolution (2026), a comic about global extremism.

She is a global citizen with Pakistani roots who grew up in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe and the US, studying at Brown (BA), Columbia (MA) and the LSE (MSc, PhD).

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Or Eshed, co-founder and CEO of LayerX Security, shares why the browser has become the most critical (and overlooked) security layer in modern work. He explains key browser risk areas including phishing, cookie theft, compromised extensions, and data exfiltration, and how AI now increases the urgency around these risks. He also provides examples of real-world breaches that are reshaping how organizations think about risk.

Key Takeaways: 

• Security risks that are unique to the browser along with simple habits you can adopt to reduce browser-based risk

• How extensions like Grammarly use browser APIs to learn from user interaction behind the scenes

• Why most existing security tools fail to detect browser-based threats and the rising costs of account takeovers

• How AI-powered copilots could ultimately become a key defensive layer by reducing human error in real time

Guest Bio:

Or Eshed is co-founder and CEO of LayerX Security. Or has over 15 years of cybersecurity experience as an ML developer, security and intelligence researcher, and cybersecurity analyst. His work has led to the arrest of at least 15 threat actors and the exposure of the largest browser hijacking operation in history, with over 50 million browsers compromised. He has also written and spoken extensively on topics of cybersecurity, including at key conferences such as DEF CON and BSides Las Vegas.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Joseph Ng, Chief Strategy Officer of GeneGenius and author of The Hybrid Mind, discusses how institutions must redesign decision architectures as humans and intelligent machines operate together. His vision for the "hybrid mind" is one with supervised intelligence where humans set mission, values, and boundaries while AI participates in operational decisions.

He also discusses his work at GeneGenius to transform raw genetic data into "biological intelligence" that can support precision medicine, early disease detection, and personalized treatments. 

Key Takeaways: 

• His work in AI-driven genomics systems and data for early detection and better prediction in medical systems

• How governance—when designed correctly—can accelerate adoption rather than slowing innovation

• Why the biggest risk in AI isn't technical failure, but a lack of institutional readiness to govern it

• How human judgment is evolving in an AI-driven world, shifting from execution to supervision and interpretation

Guest Bio:
Joseph X Ng is a technology executive, AI governance strategist, and Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University. He is the author of The Hybrid Mind, which argues that institutions must redesign their decision architectures as humans and intelligent machines begin operating together.

A former enterprise AI leader at BNY Mellon, Joseph now works on frontier applications of AI, including genomic intelligence through initiatives like GeneGenius. His work focuses on building trustworthy AI systems by embedding governance, transparency, and human supervision directly into the architecture of intelligent systems.

And, for the record, he is a human from New York.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Anna Yuan, founder of Perena and former head of stablecoins at the Solana Foundation, discusses how Perena is designing new on-chain financial products, including USD*, a liquid yield token that earns continuously while remaining spendable. We also explore why trust remains one of crypto's biggest challenges, how decentralized and traditional finance are converging, and what role AI agents may play in the future of payments and financial automation.

Key Takeaways: 

• How Perena's USD* token allows users to earn continuous yield while still being able to spend their assets

• Why stablecoins could become a foundational layer for global financial coordination and programmable money

• Why people still don't trust blockchain, and what Web3 companies should do about it

• Why many financial services beyond payments remain largely untapped opportunities in crypto

• How agents and stablecoins will interact over time

Guest Bio:
Anna Yuan is the founder of Perena, a stablecoin fintech and asset manager. Perena's team embraces AI natively in their workflow, with all staff learning to code and design with AI tools. Anna built yield.bingo as a tutorial for new stablecoin users to earn yield. Previously she was the head of stablecoins at Solana Foundation.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

 Elise Neel, Global Head of Strategy & Strategic Partnerships at Panasonic Go, shares lessons from leading innovation within large legacy companies and the cultural challenges of driving transformation. She explains how organizations should rethink AI governance and talent, and why roles like the CHRO may become central in the AI era.

Key Takeaways:

• Why leaders must move from simply using AI tools to actively collaborating with them to drive meaningful transformation

• How access to AI is leveling the playing field, making critical thinking the key differentiator for talent

• Ways that non-technical professionals can quickly become powerful contributors with the right AI tools and training

• Why the CHRO role may become one of the most influential positions as organizations integrate AI agents into their workforce

• How AI could transform product ownership and customer support through intelligent systems that predict maintenance, optimize usage, and improve the overall customer experience

Guest Bio:
Elise Neel is the Global Head of Strategy & Strategic Partnerships for Panasonic Go, driving business transformation through AI to expand AI-enabled software, hardware, and solutions to 30% of Panasonic's sales by 2035.

Previously, Elise was SVP of New Business Innovation at Verizon, where she built a portfolio of nine investment ventures spanning location technology, drones, robotics, and energy transformation while ushering in the 5G era. She also served as CEO of MapQuest and held leadership roles at PlaceIQ, comScore, and InsightExpress.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Bri Teresi, host of 'Free The Money' and a prominent crypto influencer, shares the biggest misunderstandings about cryptocurrency in mainstream media and consumer behavior, along with the biggest challenges faced by content creators today. Topics include: the risks of platform dependency and censorship; the importance of self-custody and owning one's own crypto keys; financial sovereignty and freedom from banks; and the need for better education in crypto to reduce scams and speculative investments.

Key Takeaways: 

• Emerging laws in California, and how they'll affect crypto asset custody

• Why we can't have a free society without cash and distributed systems

• The role of privacy coins and privacy tech in empowering users

• Creator horror stories: shadow banning, censorship, and deleted accounts

• How AI is transforming content creation, and the risks involved

• Gender dynamics and increasing female participation in crypto

• The potential of decentralized social media networks

Guest Bio: Bri Teresi is the host of Free The Money, a show focused on finance, cryptocurrency, and personal liberties. As a model and golf influencer, Bri bridges lifestyle and financial education, making complex topics accessible to a wider audience.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Maggie Love, Founder and CEO of SheFi, discusses the critical role of the community in managing decentralized spaces and making crypto accessible and relatable for all. She delves into the importance of building technology that works for everyone (not just early insiders), and details the urgent mission she's on with SheFi: to ensure women aren't left behind in the next era of the Internet.

Key Takeaways: 

• SheFi's collaboration with Brave, including scholarships offered for their next cohort

• What real crypto onboarding should look like: education beyond buzzwords

• Why community is the missing layer in crypto adoption, and current friction points holding Web3 back

• How AI and crypto may collide at both the application and infrastructure layers

• What the future of the internet could look like for women+ builders if their mission succeeds

• What it takes to build technology that works for everyone (not just the early insiders)

Guest Bio: Maggie Love is an educator, entrepreneur, and the founder of SheFi, a platform where women+ learn to navigate and shape the next era of the Internet, including crypto, AI, and digital ownership. She's passionate about turning buzzwords into real-world access and opportunity.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Manoj Saxena, Founder and CEO of Trustwise, explains why agentic AI represents a major shift inside organizations: from AI as a tool to AI as an active participant. He addresses the operational challenges that organizations face today, including AI-to-AI interactions, opaque decision-making, regulatory pressure, and the growing need for continuous oversight as AI systems gain autonomy.

Key Takeaways:

• The ways AI agents are already taking on roles once owned by humans

• How leaders should prepare for AI systems that negotiate, decide, and act independently

• The emerging risks of AI acting without visibility, guardrails, or accountability

• Why trust, safety, and governance must operate in real time, not retroactively

• The organizational and cultural implications of humans managing AI agents

Guest Bio:
Manoj Saxena is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Trustwise—an award-winning AI safety company focused on securing and governing agentic AI systems—and the Founder and Chairman of the Responsible AI Institute. Widely regarded as the "father of IBM Watson," Manoj is a pioneer of Trusted Artificial Intelligence (TAI) and a leading voice for ethical and responsible AI. He previously served as General Manager of IBM Watson and as Chairman of the Board at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. A serial entrepreneur with over $1.8B in exit value across multiple startups, Manoj is also a lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin and a fellow contributor at University of Cambridge, where he teaches and advises on ethical AI and responsible leadership.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Kapil Gupta, former Enterprise AI Product & Platform Leader at Cigna, shares insights from more than two decades of turning cutting-edge technology into enterprise-ready products. He unpacks the difference between generative AI and agentic AI, and why governance, user choice, and thoughtful design matter just as much as innovation.

Learn how enterprises can scale responsibly and why the best technology often feels invisible to the people using it.

Key Takeaways: 

• The tangible difference between generative AI and agent-based workflows

• Why adoption depends on fitting into existing workflows, rather than forcing behavior change

• The challenge of legacy systems and disconnected data

• How companies can innovate quickly without introducing unnecessary risk

• How pushing back, probing, and questioning AI can unlock more value

• Why listening to users matters more than building flashy features

Guest Bio: Kapil Gupta is an executive product leader specializing in leveraging emerging technologies to solve complex business problems at scale. As a leader of AI product and platform teams at Cigna and previously at industry leaders like Capital One, Deloitte, and IBM, he has turned breakthrough innovations like Generative AI into practical enterprise solutions. 

Kapil is driven by a focus on crafting AI-driven product experiences that solve real problems and ensure high adoption, bridging the gap between sophisticated technology and business value. He balances high-level strategic vision with a passion for staying hands-on, often vibe coding prototypes to prove out new concepts. Kapil holds an MS in Computer Science and an MBA from NYU Stern. He shares his work at kapilgupta.me and lives in New York.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Chastity Murphy, former Senior Advisor at the U.S.Treasury and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, shares her experiences working on digital money legislation, including the Stable Act. She reflects on the transition from cash to digital payments along with her current research developing offline, anonymous public interest payment systems.

Key Takeaways:

• How early stablecoin legislation shaped our understanding of digital money, privacy, and consumer protection

• The gap between technologists and policymakers in understanding digital money

• Real-world risks of surveillance and data visibility in financial transactions

• The potential for new cryptographic capabilities like selective disclosure and zero-knowledge proofs

• Practical approaches for creating offline, anonymous, and interoperable digital payment systems that don't sacrifice usability

Guest Bio: 

Chastity Murphy is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Manchester's Law & Technology Initiative, and one of the leading architects of privacy-preserving digital public money. A former Senior Advisor at the U.S. Treasury Department, she helped shape federal policy on central bank digital currency (CBDC) and digital payments, building on her earlier work as the first congressional staffer (under Rep. Rashida Tlaib) to draft stablecoin legislation.

Her current research at Manchester's Digital Public Money Infrastructure (DPMI) project explores how cryptography and shield-law protections can make digital money safe for people—not platforms. The work prototypes use cases such as anonymous public-interest payments and privacy-secure disbursement systems for reproductive-health providers, disaster aid, and humanitarian relief. This work focuses on ensuring that the right to transact safely endures across political climates, crises, medical emergencies, and everyday use.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Evin McMullen, co-founder and CEO of Billions Network, explores how identity for agents is going to unlock the next era of the Internet. She shares outcomes from collaborations with regulatory bodies and major companies (like HSBC and TikTok), along with their use of Zero Knowledge Proofs in proving you're human without giving up privacy.

Key Takeaways:

• How Billions Network plans to save the Internet, starting first with scaling trust (while balancing convenience and privacy)

• The critical importance of identity verification in an increasingly AI-dominated digital landscape, and the biggest challenges to solving for this

• The risks for humanity if we don't achieve decentralized identity before AI and agents becomes ubiquitous

Guest Bio:
Evin McMullen is the CEO and co-founder of Billions Network, the first universal human and AI network. Billions Network is pioneering a mobile-first identity layer that verifies both humans and AI agents—proving uniqueness, KYC/AML status, location, age, or even machine reputation, all while preserving user privacy. Evin's previous work includes early blockchain development for retail and enterprise, and serving as CEO and founder of the verifiable data platform Disco.xy. She is a cofounder of DAO Jones and inkDAO, and an advisor to Boys Club. She is a graduate of Yale University.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Charles Hoskinson is a co-founder of Ethereum, and the CEO and Founder of Input | Output (the company behind the Cardano blockchain). In this episode he shares his journey into the world of cryptocurrencies and his early influences. He also explains the conception and operational details of the Midnight Network (a privacy-focused, layer-two solution), and discusses his ambitious efforts in anti-aging and regenerative medicine.

Key Takeaways: 

• Trillion dollar disruption ideas and a vision for how users will interact with the Internet in 2035

• Why regulation is the single most exciting opportunity for DeFi

• Ways we can bring the world together in 2026 by working more cooperatively and combatting polarization

• How regenerative species force us to rethink how humans should approach longevity

• Cutting-edge research involving exosomes, electrical fields and hyperbarics

Guest Bio:

Charles Hoskinson is a co-founder of Ethereum, and the CEO & Founder of Input | Output (the company behind the Cardano blockchain). He also owns and operates a state-of-the-art healthcare clinic in rural Wyoming focused on anti-aging; is part of the group that de-extincted the dire wolf; and co-founded a lab that is genetically engineering bioluminescent plants.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Dave Chatterjee, Adjunct Associate Professor at Duke University,  explains how scale, speed, and surprise are reshaping cyber threats and why many organizations remain dangerously reactive. He shares his Commitment-Preparedness-Discipline (CPD) framework along with ways that leaders can move beyond checkbox compliance by treating cybersecurity as a strategic business priority.

Key Takeaways: 

• The three underestimated AI risks that leaders often overlook, and how AI must be used to defend against AI-driven cyber threats

• Why deepfake attacks represent a systemic risk at both the individual and organizational levels

• Practical steps individuals can take to reduce exposure to fraud, impersonation, and data loss

• How better cybersecurity hygiene creates trust, resilience, and competitive advantage
  
  

Guest Bio: Dave Chatterjee, Ph.D., is a leading authority on cybersecurity strategy, governance, and AI security. As the creator of the Commitment-Preparedness-Discipline (CPD) framework, he helps organizations worldwide build resilient, high-performance security cultures. His recent work explores the convergence of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and business resilience, addressing challenges such as AI exploitation, deepfake manipulation, and the secure integration of intelligent systems.

Dr. Chatterjee is the author of "Cybersecurity Readiness: A Holistic and High-Performance Approach" and the cybercrime-themed novel "The DeepFake Conspiracy", which illustrates the emerging risks and ethical dilemmas at the intersection of AI and cyber defense. His thought leadership has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, Business Insider, California Management Review, Business Horizons, MIS Quarterly, and Journal of Management Information Systems.

As host of the acclaimed Cybersecurity Readiness Podcast Series, he has engaged leading practitioners, policymakers, and researchers in discussions on topics such as agentic AI, post-quantum readiness, and AI-driven threat detection. A trusted advisor to Fortune 500 firms and government agencies, Dr. Chatterjee delivers high-impact keynotes and moderates CXO panels worldwide, advancing dialogue on how to turn AI risk into organizational resilience.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Leah Price, Vice President of Tinman AI Platform at better.com, breaks down why traditional subscription-based pricing no longer works and how outcome-driven AI can unlock real value for enterprises. She also shares how embedded AI, avatars, and automation are transforming the mortgage experience for both lenders and borrowers, and what the future of AI-powered financial infrastructure could look like.

Key Takeaways: 

• How Tinman AI embeds generative AI across an entire mortgage tech stack

• The limitations of traditional ROI models in enterprise AI adoption, and Tinman's vision for outcome-based pricing

• How AI avatars and bots reduce borrower friction and improve trust

• What the future of mortgage lending could look like with AI as infrastructure

Guest Bio: Leah Price serves as Vice President leading the Tinman® AI Platform at Better, the AI-powered homeownership company. Under her leadership, the Tinman AI Platform will be offered to lenders and brokers across the country as an API-accessible platform.

Previously, Leah led the Office of Fintech and the Office of the Chief AI Officer at Federal Housing Finance Agency, leading initiatives in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. Earlier in her career, Leah held leadership roles at Figure Technologies and at Fannie Mae, where she was on the launch team of Day 1 Certainty® and other product innovations. She served as co-chair of MISMO's Emerging Technology Community of Practice, and was a Senior Advisor to MISMO.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Bhavesh Mehta and Mahesh Kumar—senior technology leaders at Uber and co-authors of the practical guide AI-First Leader—discuss the lessons learned from Nova Bridge's collapse, and share best practices for mitigating hidden risks that can derail ambitious AI projects. They also share specific ways that small businesses and Fortune 500 companies can embrace AI from a place of empowerment rather than fear.

Key Takeaways: 

• Ways to align C-suite leaders and engineering teams around a unified AI roadmap

• The most underestimated human factor that determines whether an AI transformation succeeds

• How overlooked vulnerabilities, insufficient oversight, and the rush to deploy led to unexpected fallout of the Nova Bridge Chat

• The unforeseen dangers lurking within AI systems

Guest Bio: 

Bhavesh Mehta is a technology leader and co-author of AI-First Leader, a practical guide for executives navigating enterprise AI adoption. With over 20 years of experience across Cisco, Uber, and VMware, Bhavesh has architected large-scale conversational and generative AI systems that support millions of users daily. His work bridges deep technical design and executive strategy, helping organizations deploy AI responsibly and at scale.

Mahesh Kumar is a seasoned product executive and co-author of AI-First Leader, a practical guide for executives navigating enterprise AI adoption. With over 20 years of experience across Uber, Veritas, and VMware, Mahesh has led the development of multi-billion-dollar product portfolios and enterprise AI strategies. Known for bridging deep technology with strategic vision, he helps organizations move from experimentation to large-scale AI transformation. His work focuses on responsible innovation, combining business storytelling with technical fluency to make AI both accessible and actionable for leaders.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Emad Mostaque, founder and CEO of Intelligent Internet, discusses his vision for an open and intelligent internet, along with the impact it can have on everyday users. He acknowledges the risks of AI surpassing human capabilities, but shares an optimistic view of where the true strength of a society lies. He also discusses the ways communities can withstand these disruptions and thrive in a changing world.

Key Takeaways: 

• What problems AI agents are ready to solve today, and when we can expect future unlocks

• The future of low-cost intellectual work, and how specialized AI agents can be designed to safely reduce cognitive friction

• The implications of AI on a nation's gross domestic product (GDP), and the importance of measuring community intelligence

• Advice for parents raising the next generation of users

Guest Bio: Emad Mostaque is the founder of Intelligent Internet, and is dedicated to advancing distributed and accessible artificial intelligence systems. As founder of Stability AI, he influenced the widespread availability of generative AI tools for image, audio, and video, reaching over 300 million downloads. He contributes to the development of open source AI infrastructure, including as an advisor to Render Network.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Arjun Khemani, memetic warlord at Zcash, shares his journey from questioning conventional thinking to becoming an advocate for rational optimism and privacy in the digital age. He discusses the importance of fighting for freedom, why memes are powerful tools for spreading ideas, and why users should remain skeptical of authority.

Key Takeaways:

• Why privacy is fundamental to freedom and how Zcash is helping us get closer to that ideal
• The role of shielded transactions in increasing your anonymity
• What's at stake if we don't transact privately, including broader implications for personal and financial autonomy
• How memes shape culture and technology, along with the dangers and opportunities they present
• The increasing need for independent and critical thinking in the digital world

Guest Bio: Arjun Khemani is an author, podcaster, and memetic warlord, helping spread rationally optimistic memes to create a better world. He's currently working on the Zcash mission—a privacy-focused cryptocurrency which features an encrypted ledger using zero-knowledge proofs.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Thorsten Jaeckel, Head of Product at 0x and Matcha, discusses the biggest hurdles facing DeFi adoption—including regulatory uncertainty, user experience challenges, security concerns, and the need for better education. Discover what it will take for decentralized finance to reach the masses and get a glimpse of the path forward for DeFi.

Key Takeaways: 

• How the rise of Layer 2 solutions are shaping (and complicating) the next phase of DeFi.

• What's holding back tokenized equities, and what it'll take to overcome regulatory hurdles.

• The significance of execution transparency in building user trust.

• The importance of creating DeFi products that feel as seamless as Web2 applications.

• How Matcha is making it easier for newcomers to start trading in DeFi.

Guest Bio:
Thorsten Jaeckel is the Head of Product at 0x and Matcha, where he leads product development for one of the top decentralized exchange aggregators in Web3. He's been building in crypto since 2017 and previously held product leadership roles at Coinbase and Square. Thorsten focuses on making DeFi more intuitive and trustworthy, with a particular interest in multi-chain UX and execution transparency.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Sean Hehir, CEO of BrainChip, discusses their innovative neuromorphic technology, which mimics the way the human brain processes information to enable smarter, more efficient edge computing. We explore the real-world impact of bringing AI directly to devices, from wearables to smart home products, and what this means for speed, privacy, and energy efficiency. Tune in to learn how BrainChip is paving the way for a new generation of intelligent electronics and what's next for brain-inspired artificial intelligence.

Key Takeaways: 

• How BrainChip is working across health tech, automotive, and consumer electronics to make brain-inspired AI a reality in the products we use every day.

• How BrainChip worked with Onsor Technologies to unveil AI-powered wearable glasses that predict epileptic seizures before they happen.

• Neuromorphic computing: what it is, why it's important, and how Brainchip is innovating in this area.

• Why energy efficiency is the hidden frontier we need in AI's next big leap.

• How Edge and Cloud AI are different and how they'll work together over time.

Guest Bio:

Sean Hehir is the CEO of BrainChip, the company behind Akida™, which is the world's first neuromorphic AI processor, mimicking how the human brain works to bring intelligence directly onto devices. After decades driving global partnerships at Microsoft, HP, and Cisco, he now leads BrainChip's push to move AI from the cloud to the edge—making it faster, safer, and dramatically more energy-efficient.

Under Sean's leadership, BrainChip is powering breakthroughs across health tech, automotive, and consumer electronics, including AI-powered wearable glasses (built with Onsor Technologies) that can predict epileptic seizures before they happen. Sean is also a frequent industry speaker and serves on the board of the Silicon Valley Executive Network.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Jay Chrawnna, director of The Kus, dives into the subtle ways people are already using Web3 in everyday transactions (often without realizing it) and what this means for the future of consumer Web3. He explores how gaming projects like FIFA Rivals are redefining digital asset ownership, and highlights how entities like the Indonesian government are leveraging blockchain to improve transparency, efficiency, and mainstream accessibility.

• How the next wave of Web3 could be completely invisible to users.

• Why Polkadot may be the only platform capable of scaling Web3 at full potential.

• What "Consumer Web3" really means, and why it's about more than wallets and tokens.

• How blockchain is being used to reimagine institutions at a massive scale.

Guest Bio: Jay Chrawnna is the director of The Kus, a media broadcaster for Polkadot. On the Space Monkeys Podcast and weekly Attempts at Governance liveshows, the DOT eco's top movers and doers drive discourse and shape the second age of Polkadot. Jay exclusively uses the Brave browser.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Juan Leon, Senior Investment Strategist at Bitwise Asset Management, unpacks the rapid institutional adoption of Bitcoin and Ethereum, fueled by ETFs, regulatory clarity, and the rise of tokenization. He shares key trends shaping the next phase of crypto, including the integration of traditional finance and DeFi, and how this evolution could redefine corporate treasuries and real-world asset investing.

• How major financial institutions are embracing stablecoins and blockchain infrastructure

• What the surge in tokenization means for the $500T real-world asset opportunity

• How Ethereum treasuries could unlock new income streams for traditional investors

• Why the convergence of Wall Street and DeFi may be closer than ever

Guest Bio: Juan Leon is the Senior Investment Strategist at Bitwise Asset Management, where over the past 4 years he has helped lead research, product strategy, fund management, and sales engagements. He is a CFA charter holder, and prior to Bitwise Juan was a Portfolio Manager of equities, fixed-income, and commodities at a global asset manager.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Jack Pertschuck, former Principal Engineer at Pinecone, discusses what vector databases are and why they matter for AI and search applications. He also discusses the challenges of communicating the value of this technology when the problem isn't widely understood.

Key Takeaways: 

• Advice for teams looking to adopt vector search technology
• The importance of hybrid and cascading retrieval methods
• The significance of context engineering and evaluation metrics in AI systems
• How Pinecone is democratizing vector database technology for AI and machine learning applications

Guest Bio:

Jack Pertschuk is a former Principal Engineer with Pinecone, the market leader in vector databases. As the company's founding engineer and lead for algorithms, applied research, and platform, Jack is responsible for the roadmap and execution across research and engineering for search index efficiency and accuracy. Prior to Pinecone, Jack was a founder of SidekickQA and creator of the NBoost open source neural ranking engine. He is an active member of the Rust and Information Retrieval research community, and is passionate about solving problems at the intersection of ML and systems.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Andrew Pelekis, CEO of Claynosaurz, shares how they're making digital ownership fun, accessible, and frictionless. He also discusses the role of community and fan engagement in the success of digital brands.

Key Takeaways: 

• What they've learned from prior cycles about bringing blockchain projects to mainstream communities

• How audience participation has changed, and what new revenue streams have become possible

• The challenge of protecting original IP and the new fan intelligence system they're building

• Evolving acceptance of crypto and the need for regulatory clarity

• Challenges and opportunities of integrating Web3 technologies into mainstream brand building

Guest Bio:

Andrew Pelekis is the CEO of Claynosaurz, a leading digital entertainment brand building expansive storytelling worlds through Web3, animation, and community-driven IP. He is also the creator of Nobody Sausage, a viral character phenomenon turned entertainment franchise that blends humor, art, and digital culture into a global fan experience.

At Claynosaurz, Andrew is pioneering how blockchain and emerging technologies can transform the way audiences engage with stories, characters, and creators. With Nobody Sausage, he has shown how a playful, internet-native idea can evolve into a full-fledged entertainment property, capturing the imagination of millions worldwide.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

 Liz Zaborowska, Founder & CEO of Bhava Communications and Spring Catalyst, explores the common fears and misconceptions that lead to resistance against AI adoption. She emphasizes the importance of proper training and support, ensuring that team members feel confident and secure in their use of AI tools.

Key Takeaways: 

• The business benefits of embracing AI, including practical strategies to overcome fears and successfully adopt artificial intelligence throughout your team

• How AI tools can complement, rather than replace, human creativity

• The ongoing importance of fact-checking in the digital age

• Principles of responsible AI use and the policies that support it

• Ways to maintain authenticity with AI-generated content

Guest Bio:

Liz Zaborowska is the founder and CEO of Spring Catalyst, where she helps teams optimize performance and navigate AI adoption. With over 20 years in technology and deep expertise in team dynamics, she empowers organizations to transform how they create, communicate, and collaborate in the AI era. Liz has worked with AI companies for more than a decade and served in an advisory capacity for the Responsible AI Institute. Liz is also the founder of Bhava Communications, an award-winning marketing, PR, and social media agency that has helped hundreds of enterprise and consumer technology companies stand out as category leaders. Prior to founding her own companies, she ran technical, product, and corporate marketing on the tech startup side. She studied biology and theater at Tufts University, bringing a unique perspective that combines scientific rigor with creative ideation to help businesses and individuals thrive in our rapidly evolving technological landscape.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Daniela Barbosa, General Manager of Decentralized Technologies at the Linux Foundation, and Executive Director at LF Decentralized Trust, discusses the most promising open-source projects they've supported so far, and how more builders can get involved. She also emphasizes the importance of community contributions and cross-sector partnerships to accelerate the adoption and impact of decentralized technologies.

Key Takeaways: 

• How LF Decentralized Trust fits within the Linux Foundation and why it matters

• Why open source collaboration is key to interoperable, secure trust frameworks

• Common misconceptions about open-source blockchain

• The role of open governance in driving enterprise and government adoption

• How open-source communities are shaping next-gen secure, privacy-first technologies

Guest Bio:

Daniela Barbosa serves as General Manager of Decentralized Technologies at the Linux Foundation, and Executive Director of LF Decentralized Trust. She has 20+ years of enterprise technology experience, including seven years driving the global, collaborative development of enterprise-grade blockchain and identity technologies at Hyperledger Foundation. She is a leading voice for the power of openly developed decentralized technologies to spur efficiency, privacy, and inclusivity.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Gerrit, developer relations at Curve Finance, discusses the unique risks and rewards associated with DeFi stablecoins, and how increased regulatory clarity has fueled the rise of TradFi stablecoins. He also spotlights the crucial role of platforms like Curve in providing essential liquidity and stability, ensuring the continued growth and reliability of the stablecoin sector.

Key Takeaways: 

• Key differentiators between TradFi and DeFi stablecoins, including their risk / reward profiles

• The significance of the Genius Act in transforming the stablecoin landscape

• How regulatory clarity has spurred the growth of TradFi stablecoins, and why their success often ties to their integration within the DeFi ecosystem

• How AI could both exacerbate and solve problems in crypto, empowering hackers to find exploits faster and increase phishing risks

• Why crypto adoption surged in countries like Argentina and created real-world utility that outpaced U.S. adoption

Guest Bio: Gerrit has been on-chain since 2014. He joined Curve Finance in 2020, helping shape the decentralized protocol powering DeFi stablecoin and crypto markets by enabling high-yield on-chain savings, protected borrowing, and low-slippage swaps on EVM chains.

As a startup founder with deep AI roots, Gerrit launched the first AI-powered résumé grader back in 2008. He's taught courses at the University of Washington, on topics ranging from AI to blockchain to financial technology, and holds an MBA from MIT with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He's also a founding member of Leviathan News, a Web3 news aggregator.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Elizabeth Hansson is the Michigan President of Stand With Crypto and Founder of the Detroit Blockchain Collective. In this episode she discusses the importance of grassroots activism in shaping digital asset policy, the challenges of educating lawmakers, and how community engagement is driving innovation and regulatory clarity. She also reflects on America's lag in cryptocurrency innovation and the critical need for market structure and state-level legislation.

Key Takeaways:

• How Stand With Crypto is helping to bridge the gap between lawmakers and the crypto industry

• Current regulatory gaps and need for clear frameworks to foster innovation and protect users in the digital asset space.

• Why educating policymakers about crypto is essential to dispel misconceptions and encourage informed decision-making (and how communities can help do this).

• The importance of grassroots advocacy in shaping clear regulatory frameworks that foster innovation.

• State-level initiatives that are addressing unique local needs and driving progress in digital asset adoption.

Guest Bio:

Elizabeth Hansson is the Michigan President of Stand With Crypto and the founder of the Detroit Blockchain Collective. With a background in engineering and decentralized systems, she now works at the intersection of technology and policy, leading grassroots advocacy for digital assets across Michigan. Elizabeth has been instrumental in mobilizing communities, building coalitions, and advancing federal legislation to support innovation in the digital asset space.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and no w powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Jimmy Secretan, CTO of JustWin, explores the latest innovations in privacy-preserving neural networks, and explains how JustWin is leveraging AI to help small businesses win government contracts. He also explores the future directions of AI, and the impact of AI on user autonomy and privacy.

Key Takeaways:

• Technological advancements shaping the future of secure and ethical AI applications

• The significance of open-endedness in AI

• How to build while balancing both innovation and privacy

• Why AI solutions are a good fit for winning RFPs

• GPT-5 and predictions for its future impact

Guest Bio: Jimmy Secretan, CTO of JustWin, holds a Ph.D. from the Machine Learning Lab at the University of Central Florida, where he specialized in large-scale, privacy-safe neural networks. Having previously served as Chief Scientist at Korrelate, VP of Engineering of Sonobi, and CTO of Roadtrippers, Jimmy has architected privacy-safe AI/ML data pipelines, scaled infrastructure to hundreds of billions of requests per month to power predictive media planning, and led the creation of the AI-driven future of travel data. As VP of Ads and Premium Services at Brave, Jimmy helped launch Brave's global private ad network; led the development of premium functionality for the Brave browser; and managed initiatives like Brave News and Brave Talk.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Austin Campbell, Managing Partner at Zero Knowledge Consulting, and Adam Zarazinski, CEO at Inca Digital, explore the Genius Bill and its potential to revolutionize the stablecoin landscape. They discuss the many changes with the current government, including regulations and compliance, along with how this new legislative proposal could drive innovation and widespread adoption of stablecoins.

Key Takeaways: 

• Why the Genius Bill matters, and its potential impact on stablecoin adoption

• New compliance experiments and why the traditional approach is dead

• The brain drain of crypto experts within banking

• The need for innovation and technological transformation in traditional finance

Guest Bio:

Austin Campbell is the managing partner and founder of Zero Knowledge Consulting, and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School. Previously, he ran the stablecoin platform and portfolio management at Paxos, and was the chief risk officer of Paxos National Trust. Austin has managed fixed income trading desks at JP Morgan and Citi covering >$100B of cash derivatives, and has been a portfolio manager and structurer at Stone Ridge, the parent of NYDIG. He holds a BS in Mathematics from CSU Chico, and an MBA from NYU Stern.

Adam Zarazinski is the CEO of Inca Digital, a fintech company that provides data and analytics on the digital asset ecosystem to government agencies and financial institutions using natural language processing and LLMs.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Ryan Rugg, Global Head of Digital Assets for Citibank's Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS), discusses their approach to integrating Web 2.0 and 3.0. She shares insights on Citi Token Service, a new solution designed to provide 24/7 liquidity and borderless transactions, and explains how it simplifies user experience by obfuscating blockchain complexity.

Key Takeaways: 

• The future potential of digital assets and blockchain technology in transforming financial services and enabling faster, more efficient transactions globally

• The importance of regulatory compliance and collaboration with regulators to ensure responsible innovation

• The value of daily standups in driving agile development

• Mutual learning opportunities between traditional finance institutions and Web 3.0 projects

Guest Bio: Ryan Hugg is the Global Head of Digital Assets for Citibank's Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS), helping clients streamline treasury, payments, and commerce. She recently led the launch of Citi Token Services, a blockchain-based solution enabling 24/7 liquidity transfers and integrating tokenized deposits and smart contracts into Citi's global network.

Previously, Ryan led IBM's Americas blockchain team, advising clients on tokenization, identity, and sustainability strategies. Her team helped launch New York's Excelsior Pass, a digital health wallet used by millions, now serving as a model for other credential systems.

A passionate advocate for diversity in leadership, she has led multiple initiatives to advance female representation, and mentors emerging leaders toward executive roles.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Marc Vanlerberghe is the Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at The Algorand Foundation. In this episode, Marc discusses how Algorand is driving mainstream adoption of blockchain technology, decentralizing its network at record speed, and preparing for a future where billions of users—and AI agents—interact seamlessly on-chain. He also explains why a user-first approach is the key to scaling Web3 beyond speculation into real-world applications.

Key Takeaways:

• What makes Algorand different from other Layer 1s

• Agentic commerce and how could it reshape how we interact online

• Strategies for achieving mainstream adoption of crypto

• How Algorand is preparing for a post-quantum world

Guest Bio: Marc Vanlerberghe is the Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at The Algorand Foundation. Algorand has a goal of fostering partnerships that help contribute to the advancement of the overall blockchain industry, and to drive adoption of the Algorand blockchain. Since stepping into the role in early 2024, Marc has been leading the charge to elevate Algorand's global brand and strategy.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Wendy O, cryptocurrency analyst and host of The O Show, discusses how one careless click can jeopardize your financial security. She shares practical advice for starting your journey in crypto, earning BAT, and protecting your wealth from digital risks.

Key Takeaways:

• The critical importance of privacy once you begin accumulating wealth in crypto

• Flaws with current accredited investor laws

• Actionable steps to protect your wealth and digital identity in a Web3 world

• Advice for women entering the crypto space

• The role of creators in the future of crypto adoption

Guest Bio: Wendy O is a cryptocurrency analyst and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. She is the host and founder of The O Show, an influential YouTube channel focused on Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology, with a global audience of more than 1 million followers. Wendy has been contributing to the crypto community through her content and analysis since 2017

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Hester M. Peirce, Commissioner at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, discusses the SEC's new approach to regulation under the Crypto Task Force. She details the commission's efforts to foster a healthy, regulated crypto market and the importance of cross-border cooperation in enforcement.

Key Takeaways: 

• How the SEC is providing input for lawmakers on new regulations, and taking feedback from businesses in the industry

• Shifting from an enforcement-focused mindset to providing regulatory clarity

• The importance of regulatory frameworks that protect investors while still allowing innovation

• Ways to collaborate with the U.S. Congress on legislation
  
  

Guest Bio: Hester M. Peirce was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and was sworn in on January 11, 2018.

Earlier this year, Commissioner Peirce was designated as the leader of the SEC's Crypto Task Force. Prior to joining the SEC, Commissioner Peirce conducted research on the regulation of financial markets, and was a Senior Counsel on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Commissioner Peirce earned her bachelor's degree in Economics from Case Western Reserve University, and her JD from Yale Law School.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Assaf Kipnis, AI safety (intel and investigation) at ElevenLabs, discusses the evolving landscape of online safety, the sophisticated tactics of threat actors, and the role of regulation in shaping tech company responses. He also discusses the need for accountability in both tech companies and regulatory bodies to enhance safety and security in the digital space.

Key Takeaways: 

• New tactics and scams threat actors are using, and the effectiveness of measures like age verification and red teaming

• Limitations faced by tech companies in combating online safety issues, and the challenges of maintaining online safety at scale

• The role of law enforcement and regulation in pressuring companies, platforms, and teams to improve online safety

Guest Bio:
Assaf Kipnis is an AI safety investigator with over a decade of experience at companies like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google. Now at ElevenLabs, he builds systems to uncover and respond to emerging threats in generative AI, focusing on the intersection of security, abuse prevention, and human impact.

Assaf is known for making sense of complex, messy problems, combining deep investigation with storytelling to drive action. He's guided by values like curiosity, care, and doing the right thing, and is passionate about reclaiming technology as a force for good. He strives to create environments where people feel safe, seen, and valued.

Outside of work, he's a parent, systems thinker, and mentor who believes the best solutions start with asking the right questions—and remembering to stay human.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

 Tom Aulet, Co-Founder and CEO of Ergatta, discusses how they're making workouts engaging and habit-forming by incorporating gaming elements and AI-driven personalization. He also delves into Ergatta's human-centric, iterative design process and the significant impact of their design choices

Key Takeaways: 

• Why game mechanics are more motivating than traditional workouts

• How they're using AI to personalize the workout experience for users 

• Importance of privacy and scientific rigor in health tech

• Innovative design choices that make fitness fun and sustainable

Guest Bio: Tom Aulet is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ergatta, the leader in game-based connected fitness. With a background in tech and a passion for habit-forming design, Tom is pioneering a new category of workouts that motivate users through gameplay rather than traditional instruction. Tom is passionate about building technology that's not just smart, but also human, combining data, personalization, and behavioral science to make fitness more engaging, effective, and sustainable. He's especially interested in how gamification and AI intersect to drive long-term habit formation in digital health and wellness.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Angel Menendez, Staff Developer Advocate at n8n, discusses how AI is revolutionizing automation within enterprises, especially in the cybersecurity sector. He also shares the significance of self-hosting solutions like n8n for maintaining data privacy, lowering costs, and reducing operational noise.

Key Takeaways: 

• How AI is reshaping enterprise-level automation and tackling cybersecurity threats

• Ways that AI can empower creative right-brain thinkers

• Practical implications of new AI technologies in enhancing enterprise workflows while maintaining data security

• The evolving landscape of threat intelligence and importance of standards in automation

Guest Bio: Angel Menendez is a cybersecurity and AI automation expert—currently at n8n—helping enterprises scale their AI-driven workflows and integrate intelligent automation into traditionally manual processes. With a deep background in threat intelligence, digital privacy, and process orchestration, he brings a unique perspective on the evolving intersection of cybersecurity, automation, and responsible AI adoption.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Jonathan Mann, aka the Song a Day Guy, is a songwriter and Internet icon who has been writing and sharing an original song every day since 2009. We discuss his artistic journey, his experiences with NFTs, and the future of digital art and music on blockchain. He also opens up about his legal battle with the SEC, and the challenges he has faced in the crypto space.

Key Takeaways: 

• His transition from an unemployed, aspiring artist to a full-time musician who leverages Web3 and creates digital collectibles

• The impact of AI on music creation, and advice for aspiring creators working at the intersection of music and cryptocurrency

• The freedom and empowerment he feels from being able to mint a song a day to his community through NFTs without being restricted by any other party

• His experience suing the SEC and what he was fighting for

Guest Bio: 

Jonathan Mann is a songwriter, performer, and Internet icon best known for writing and sharing an original song every single day for the last 17 years—a streak that has earned him millions of views and a devoted following. As The Conference Troubadour, he creates custom songs live at events for companies like Apple, TEDMED, and Novartis. His work sits at the intersection of creativity, technology, and culture—and he's now exploring how crypto and AI are reshaping the future of artistic expression.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Jared Phillips, CEO of GolfN, discusses the intersection of golf and technology, focusing on how AI and crypto are transforming the golfing experience. He emphasizes a user-centric approach, making technology accessible without overwhelming users with crypto complexities.

Key Takeaways: 

• How they're designing GolfN to appeal to traditional golfers who aren't yet crypto savvy (growing the Web3 community with Web2 audiences)

• The evolution of golf apps and GolfN's early success in acquiring users, including $200k in paid memberships in their first month

• How they balance social, convenience, and privacy when designing for users

Guest Bio:

Jared Phillips is the CEO and co-founder of GolfN, a platform redefining how golfers engage with the game through rewards, technology, and community. With a background in executive leadership across both traditional industries and Web3, Jared brings a unique blend of operational expertise and startup vision.

Before launching GolfN, he led sales and M&A initiatives in the insurance sector, and has since helped scale GolfN through early product success, strategic partnerships, and a growing global user base. A lifelong golfer, Jared is driven by the belief that the game should be more accessible, connected, and rewarding for everyone who plays it.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Luke Mulks, Vice President of Business Operations at Brave Software, discusses the tokenization of finance, exploring how cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology are reshaping the financial landscape. He also discusses the significance of stablecoins and their growing adoption in emerging markets.

Key Takeaways: 

• The basics of stablecoins and their role in bringing stability to crypto markets

• How tokenized equities are removing barriers to global investment access

• The potential of blockchain to empower emerging markets and under-banked populations

• Key regulatory advancements shaping the adoption of stablecoins in the U.S.

Guest Bio: Luke Mulks is the Vice President of Business Operations at Brave Software, where he helps lead the company's privacy-focused advertising and Web3 initiatives. Since joining in 2016, he's played a key role in launching Brave Ads and expanding the Basic Attention Token (BAT) ecosystem. A former ad tech executive and media producer, Luke also hosts The Brave Technologist podcast, which helps make emerging tech like AI and blockchain more accessible for all.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Diego Pareschi, Global Product Line Manager for EV chargers at ABB, discusses the rapidly evolving field of EV charging technology, focusing on the intersection of user experience, data analytics, and AI. He highlights the role of AI and machine learning in enhancing charging solutions, and the importance of collaboration with local governments to facilitate infrastructure development.

Key Takeaways: 

• The current challenges of EV adoption and the need for accessibility and standardization
• Insights from his work developing the racing technology used by all teams in the Formula E racing series
• Bold predictions for the future of seamless, intelligent charging solutions

Guest Bio:
Diego Preschi is the Global Product Line Manager for EV fast chargers at ABB eMobility. With a background in automation and control engineering—what we might now call industrial AI—Diego has spent the last 15 years designing cutting-edge products for the energy and e-mobility sector. He's passionate about accelerating EV adoption through innovative, user-centered charging solutions, powered by data and AI insights. One of his standout creations, the Terra 360, was named one of TIME magazine's Best Automotive Technologies of 2022.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Scott Mann, Ret. U.S. Army Green Beret and Founder of Task Force Pineapple, shares his journey from a Special Forces soldier to a storyteller and actor. He detailed his time as a Green Beret who helped form Task Force Pineapple,  a group of veterans who used technology to coordinate the evacuation of Afghan allies during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

Key Takeaways: 

• The role of biometric data collection in US Army missions and the Global War on Terror

• How their unprecedented use of the consumer app, Signal, became a go-to resource for natural disaster management and special operations

• The critical role of technology and veteran networks in crisis situations

• His new creative venture: Last Out - an award winning play his touring on stages across the country to provide healing to Veterans and their Families

Guest Bio:
Scott Mann is a former U.S. Army Green Beret with tours in Colombia, Peru, and Afghanistan. He's the founder of Task Force Pineapple, a 501(c)(3) supporting Veterans and Afghan Allies, and the author of Operation Pineapple Express, a New York Times Best Seller. Scott also wrote Nobody is Coming to Save You, a guide to building trust and human connection in divided times. He also hosts The Scott Mann Podcast and is the playwright and star of Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret, an award-winning play honoring the sacrifices of our military community.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

John Kiriakou, former CIA officer and whistleblower against the agency's  torture program, discusses his extensive background in intelligence, the evolving role of technology and AI in intelligence operations, and the balance between privacy and national security. John details his experience with the CIA's torture program post-9/11, and the consequences he's faced for exposing these practices.

Key Takeaways:

• How targeted intelligence can succeed without mass surveillance, and how national security doesn't need to mean sacrificing individual privacy

• The evolution of drone warfare in military options, and how its crossed moral lines

• The dangers posed by AI in intelligence, and the need for ethical considerations in the application of AI

• The current state of the US Patriot Act, and the implications of technology in media

Guest Bio:
John Kiriakou is a former CIA officer, former senior investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former counterterrorism consultant for ABC News. He was responsible for the capture in Pakistan in 2002 of Abu Zubaydah, believed to be the third-ranking official in al-Qaeda. In 2007, Kiriakou exposed the CIA's torture program, saying that the CIA tortured prisoners, had become official U.S. government policy, and that this policy had been approved by then-President George W. Bush. He became the sixth whistleblower indicted by the Obama administration under the Espionage Act—a law designed to punish spies—and served 23 months in prison as a result. Kiriakou is the author of eight books, including The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA's War on Terror; Doing Time Like a Spy: How the CIA Taught Me to Survive and Thrive in Prison; and The Convenient Terrorist: Abu Zubaydah and the Weird Wonderland of America's Secret Wars.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Sandy Carter, COO and Head of GTM at Unstoppable Domains, discusses the potential of on-chain and digitized identities, including real-world examples that highlight shortcomings of current systems. She also reveals details of the new .BRAVE domain and its significance for the Brave community.

Key Takeaways: 

• How Unstoppable domains allows users to store verified digital identity information securely

• The convergence of AI and blockchain technology, including the potential of AI agents within crypto wallets

• The launch of the new.BRAVE domain and why this is such an exciting announcement for the Brave community

Guest Bio:
Sandy Carter is a globally recognized expert and innovator in AI and blockchain, having led groundbreaking advancements in AI and blockchain. Currently, as COO of Unstoppable Domains—a leading digital identity platform—she is revolutionizing how users manage and own their online identities. Formerly COO, CPO, and CSO at AWS and IBM, Sandy has successfully driven billions in revenue growth and spearheaded transformative technology adoption at scale.

Sandy is author of the bestselling book "AI First, Human Always", and has been recognized as a Microsoft MSN Top 10 AI Entrepreneur. She has been featured in Adweek's AI Power 100, and honored by Constellation Research as a Top AI Business Leader. She has delivered keynote addresses at global forums such as CES, SXSW, Davos, and more, and has been consistently rated among the top speakers. An accomplished global speaker, she has captivated audiences of up to 50,000 attendees in over 89 countries (and has proudly sampled McDonald's in each one).

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Debbie Reynolds, Chief Data Privacy Officer and host of "The Data Diva Talks Privacy" podcast, discusses the challenges parents face in protecting their children online, and simple habits users can adopt to take back control of their privacy. She also discusses the growing recognition among companies that excessive data collection poses significant risks.

Key Takeaways: 

• How consumer expectations for data are privacy changing

• The asymmetrical relationship between consumers and companies regarding data privacy

• How companies can scale a human‑centric approach to privacy

• The importance of decentralization in future data management

Guest Bio:

Debbie Reynolds—aka "The Data Diva"—is a globally recognized technologist, thought leader, and advisor in data privacy and emerging technology. With over 20 years of experience, she has delivered keynote talks for major organizations like Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, PayPal, TikTok, and Uber. Her insights have been featured in leading media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, and Wired.

Debbie hosts the #1 global award-winning podcast, "The Data Diva Talks Privacy," which reaches listeners in over 120 countries. Identity Review has named her one of the Global Top Eight Privacy Experts, and the European Risk Policy Institute has named her a Top 30 CyberRisk Communicator. She also chairs the IEEE Cyber Security Committee for the Next Generation Connectivity Systems Privacy Labeling Project.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Rob Viglione, Co-Founder and CEO of Horizen Labs and zkVerify, shares his transition from military intelligence in Afghanistan to co-founding a blockchain company. He discusses the role of zero-knowledge (ZK) technology in enabling private transactions, the need for integration of crypto with traditional finance, and the vision to bring off-chain information on chain.

Key Takeaways:

• Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs): what they are, and why they're so important in today's digital landscape

• The utility of cryptocurrencies for individuals in poorly governed jurisdictions

• The convergence of AI and blockchain, and how ZKPs can verify AI outputs without compromising privacy

• The real-world applications of ZK technology, such as private transactions, digital identity verification, and connecting traditional finance with blockchain

Guest Bio:

Rob Viglione is the co-founder and CEO of Horizen Labs, the development studio behind several leading Web3 projects, including zkVerify and Horizen.

Rob served in the U.S. Air Force and was deployed to Afghanistan, where he supported Special Operations Task Force intelligence efforts. During this time, he developed an early interest in Bitcoin, recognizing its potential benefits for countries with unstable economies.

Today, Rob's work focuses on Web3 scalability, blockchain efficiency, and zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). With the growing convergence of AI and blockchain, Horizen Labs is also exploring how ZKPs can be used to help verify AI model outputs without compromising privacy.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Shafik Quoraishee, Senior Mobile/AI Game Developer at the New York Times, discusses the development process behind popular New York Times games such as Crosswords and Connections, along with what they learned about consumer behavior from the highly addictive and viral success of Wordle.

Key Takeaways: 

• How to balance innovation with the legacy of traditional games

• The importance of user engagement and testing in game development

• The future potential of AI in creating immersive gaming experiences

Guest Bio:

Shafik Quoraishee who is a Senior Mobile/AI Game Developer at the New York Times. He works on popular games such as The New York Times Crosswords, Connections, Strands, and Wordle, and is deeply interested in the intersection of AI and accessibility. Previously Shafik was a Senior Android Engineer for the National Basketball Association, and a Senior Data Engineer at Business Insider.

Connect with Shafik:

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte