Episode description

Tom Wheeler served as the 31st Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission after being appointed to the role by President Obama in November 2013. His chairmanship has been described as “The most productive Commission in the history of the agency.”

Prior to that, he was a venture capitalist and, among other roles, the CEO of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) where we first met in 2001. He is the only person to be elected to both the Cable Television Hall of Fame and the Wireless Hall of Fame, which led President Obama to proclaim him “the Bo Jackson of telecom.” Additionally, Tom is an award-winning author, a sought after speaker about topics ranging from leadership to net neutrality, and a visiting fellow at The Brookings Institution.

Listen and learn:

1. Why today's Digital Age is reminiscent of the early 20th century Gilded Age
2. How owners of today's digital pathways make rules that govern privacy and safety
3. What does history teach us about how can we take back control of our data from Big Tech
4. How to make capitalism work for everyone
5. Why AI is triggering an awareness of the impact of Big Tech on our lives
6. What's different about regulatory models in the digital era
7. Why we need a new agile, digital-first agency to regulate Big Tech
8. How to regulate Big Tech without stifling innovation

References in this episode:

• Mark McCrindle on AI and the Future of Work
• Pew Research: 68% of US adults don't trust Big Tech to self-regulate
• Techlash: Who Makes the Rules in the Digital Gilded Age
• Scientific Management by Frederick Taylor
• Which tasks is AI being used to do at work today?