The Brave Technologist

Brave Software

Technology is reshaping society—but how are users included in the conversation? The Brave Technologist explores how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and Web3 are influencing our lives, our choices, and our collective future. Unlike many tech podcasts that focus on hype and disruption, this show puts users at the center of the conversation. Each episode features thoughtful discussions with technologists working to ensure that innovation serves the public interest. How are these tools impacting users? And how can we ensure that technology is developed with transparency, accountability, and the public good in mind? We’re going deep with founders, builders, policy makers and researchers to explore the worlds of privacy, AI, crypto, digital rights, algorithmic accountability, and everywhere else where cutting edge technology impacts our daily lives.

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Top 10 The Brave Technologist Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Brave Technologist episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Brave Technologist for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Brave Technologist episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Unplugged: Cellular Privacy in a Surveillance Economy

The Brave Technologist

12/11/24 • 33 min

Ryan Paterson, CEO of Unplugged Technologies, discusses the mission and features of Unplugged, a privacy-focused mobile device aimed at empowering users to regain control over their personal data. He also shares stories from his background with DARPA, and the challenge of integrating emerging tech into these real-world operations.

Key Takeaways:

Why privacy-focused devices are essential in today's surveillance economy
The need for awareness around data privacy, especially for parents and families
The challenges of building a privacy-first device, and the importance of community engagement with early adopters
The details of a new partnership between Unplugged and Brave

Guest Bio: Ryan Paterson is the CEO of Unplugged Technologies, a company dedicated to advancing commercial cellular privacy. He has over 20 years of experience leading innovative technology development and operational initiatives across the federal and civilian sectors. Previously, he founded IST Research, where he developed advanced information systems for challenging environments, finally culminating in a successful exit in 2020. A two-time DARPA veteran, Paterson played key roles in transitioning groundbreaking technologies to the Department of Defense, including deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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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

How BAT is Shaping the Future of Digital Advertising and the Attention Economy

The Brave Technologist

07/31/24 • 34 min

Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software, discusses how Brave’s Basic Attention Token (BAT) was conceived in 2017 to confront the inefficiencies of traditional digital advertising and the early hurdles with Bitcoin. He also shares how BAT now harnesses the Ethereum blockchain to create a privacy-centric and transparent ecosystem, fundamentally changing the way users, advertisers, and content creators engage with digital ads.

Key Takeaways:

The basic principles around the first use case for BAT
Strategic initiatives that propelled BAT's expansion, including the referral programs for content creators
BAT's growing utility across DeFi protocols, Web3 gaming, and NFT minting
Influential partnerships with brands like Intel, Ford, and creators like Mr. Beast

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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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

How Advertising Shaped Search Engines

The Brave Technologist

10/09/24 • 41 min

Jean-Paul Schmetz, SVP of Ads at Brave, discusses the evolution of search engines from closed platforms like AOL to today’s open web, and how advertising has influenced their growth. We dive into AI’s integration in search and advertising, the challenges of maintaining privacy, and the future role of regulation. Jean-Paul also shares practical tips for users to protect their privacy and take control of their data.

Key Takeaways:

The evolving relationship between browsers, search engines, and the Internet, and how advertising has shaped the development of all three
The integration of AI in search and advertising, and the complexities of maintaining privacy in digital advertising as we navigate an AI-driven future
Balancing privacy and efficiency when leveraging LLMs, and the role regulation will play in the future of AI-powered advertising
Ways we can empower users to make simple but impactful changes to protect their privacy, own their data, and shape their lives online

Guest Bio: JP Schmetz is the SVP of Ads at Brave, and a Brave Board Observer. He’s been building tech companies since 1995 (once of which—Cliqz—eventually became Brave Search).

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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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

How Pudgy Penguins Brought Digital Collectibles Into Big Box Retailers

The Brave Technologist

11/13/24 • 29 min

Luca Schnetzler, CEO of Pudgy Penguins, discusses their mission to become the face of crypto through innovative uses of NFTs, community involvement in brand development, and successful partnerships with major retailers like Walmart. As a high school dropout to successful tech entrepreneur, Luca also shares advice for young entrepreneurs who want to build businesses at the intersection of tech, creativity, and IP.

Key Takeaways:

The significance of first edition collections and how they’ve changed IP
Bridging the gap from online client collectibles to offline products in big box retailers like Walmart
The Abstract consumer L2, and how it will help scale consumer adoption

Guest Bio: Luca Schnetzler is a 25-year-old entrepreneur with a notable career in tech and e-commerce. After honing his skills in direct-to-customer sales at Ring, he launched his own successful e-commerce venture. Today, Luca is the CEO of Pudgy Penguins, a cutting-edge IP company that integrates innovative technology and creative content to redefine the digital 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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

LIVE from AI Summit: PayPal’s Approach to FinTech and Responsible Product Management

The Brave Technologist

01/01/25 • 24 min

Jacqueline Karlin, Sr. Director of AI Product & Personalization at PayPal, discusses how AI is revolutionizing the financial technology landscape, particularly in payment transactions and operational efficiency. She highlights the importance of mindful product management and the balance between innovation and responsible AI usage.

Key Takeaways:

PayPal's three main AI investment areas
How PayPal is using AI to drive product innovation and improve customer experience
How to be a responsible technologist, contributing positively to the community
Ethical practices to find product-market fit while avoiding biases
The need for transparency, trust, and responsible AI
How we can develop AI literacy among consumers

Guest Bio: Jacqueline Karlin is the Sr. Director of AI Product & Personalization at PayPal. With a rich background at industry giants like Amazon, Meta, and Santander, Jacqueline has launched AI-powered products used by millions of consumers around the world today. As a thought leader in the AI space, she is dedicated to advancing industry standards and exploring the transformative potential of AI in financial technology. Her approach combines a pursuit of driving value to customers with a passion for responsible AI, with the ultimate goal of building products that matter. Join us as we explore her insights on the transformative power of AI in financial technology!

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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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Building Mobile Games for Legacy Brands like the NBA, The New York Times, and Wordle

The Brave Technologist

05/14/25 • 31 min

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:

Website: https://www.shafikquoraishee.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@squoraishee Medium: https://squoraishee.medium.com/ X: https://x.com/SQuoraishee

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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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Privacy and Digital Identity on a Blockchain

The Brave Technologist

12/04/24 • 30 min

Kyle Den Hartog, Security Engineer at Brave Software, discusses emerging use cases for crypto, and their respective privacy implications. He emphasizes the urgency for innovative solutions to safeguard personal information in our digital financial systems given current privacy gaps on blockchains.

Key Takeaways:

The delicate balance between transparency and privacy in the blockchain era
The importance of community engagement in driving technological advancements and shaping the future of decentralized commerce
The role of the browser in powering the evolving standards of Web3

Guest Bio:

Kyle Den Hartog, Security Engineer at Brave Software, is helping to promote a world where the Web can be more private and secure for everyone. This vision led him to be an eager contributor to the design and development of standards in W3C and IETF. With a background in security and cryptography, he has worked in domain verticals such as digital identity, Web3, and now work on browsers here at Brave. His long term focus remains on improving our symbiotic relationship with technology, and he’s active in communities related to these topics.

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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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Building Community in Virtual Social Worlds

The Brave Technologist

04/23/25 • 30 min

Yemel Jardi, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Decentraland Foundation, discusses the evolution of Decentraland from an experimental project to a thriving virtual social world. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities within the metaverse, and the importance of community and human connection.

Key Takeaways:

How Decentraland is providing more opportunity for human connection through socially rooted, virtual worlds
Unique use cases for creators and businesses to leverage online worlds
Balancing decentralization with the need for governance and moderation
Ethical concerns with AI in social virtual worlds
The importance of decentralization and community-driven content

Guest Bio: Yemel Jardi is a co-founder of Decentraland, and the Executive Director of the Decentraland Foundation. With a passion for blockchain technology, Yemel began building open source tools for Bitcoin development in 2014, and later co-founded Casa Voltaire, which has incubated significant blockchain projects such as Decentraland, OpenZeppelin, HardHat, and Muun. Currently, Yemel leads the Decentraland Foundation’s efforts to build a decentralized virtual world in the open metaverse. In his free time, Yemel enjoys playing football, kiteboarding, and FPV drone racing. He is also keenly focused on the evolving AI revolution, and the development of machines or software systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence—such as problem-solving, learning, and adaptation—and how this will impact work, culture, and the social dynamic of social virtual worlds.

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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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

How Mistral AI Strikes the Balance Between Openness and Profitability

The Brave Technologist

06/20/24 • 23 min

Sophia Yang, Head of Developer Relations at Mistral AI, discusses why they don’t open source everything, and how they strike a balance between openness and growing their business. She also discusses how Mistral AI approaches developer relations and community building to advance AI.

Key Takeaways:

The goal and vision of Mistral AI
Why Mistral AI doesn’t open source all their models
How Brave and Mistral AI are currently integrated, enhancing Brave's Leo AI tools and search engine
Ways MistralAI is investing in community through large-scale hackathons
Why specialized models are the future of innovation in AI

Guest Bio:

Sophia Yang is the Head of Developer Relations at Mistral AI, where she leads developer education, developer ecosystem partnerships, and community engagement. She is passionate about the AI and open-source communities, and she is committed to empowering their growth and learning. She holds an M.S. in Computer Science, an M.S. in Statistics, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin.

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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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

Why Blockchain Transparency Is Changing the Future of Exchanges

The Brave Technologist

07/03/24 • 22 min

Bartosz Lipiński, CEO at Cube.Exchange, discusses how they're approaching the exchange model more transparently in the wake of FTX and other opaque exchange issues. We’ll explore how Cube.Exchange is redefining blockchain's original promise of a public and trustworthy ledger, and the complex challenge of building a global crypto exchange that adheres to disparate international regulations.

Key Takeaways:

How AI will shape the future of exchange transparency in the crypto market
The integration of traditional finance principles within the crypto sphere, including emerging products like ETFs, and the potential of meme coins
Ways cube is rewarding their community as a growth marketing strategy

Guest Bio: Bartosz Lipiński, CEO of Cube.Exchange—and an alumni of Citadel, BNP Paribas, and JP Morgan—built Cube to protect users from founder risk with a market structure that prevents unauthorized access to funds, and blocks internal parties from mis-appropriating, or otherwise accessing client assets. He's a prolific developer within the Solana ecosystem and a well-known person in crypto circles. He’s been quoted in CoinDesk, CNBC, Bloomberg, Blockworks, DL News, The Block, and elsewhere.

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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!

Music by: Ari Dvorin

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FAQ

How many episodes does The Brave Technologist have?

The Brave Technologist currently has 153 episodes available.

What topics does The Brave Technologist cover?

The podcast is about Metaverse, Web3, Marketing, Ai, Advertising, Crypto, Podcasts, Technology and Business.

What is the most popular episode on The Brave Technologist?

The episode title 'The Principal-Agent Problem: Can Big Tech Ever Truly Put Users First?' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The Brave Technologist?

The average episode length on The Brave Technologist is 28 minutes.

How often are episodes of The Brave Technologist released?

Episodes of The Brave Technologist are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of The Brave Technologist?

The first episode of The Brave Technologist was released on Mar 15, 2021.

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The Brave Technologist

Brave Software

Top 10 The Brave Technologist Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does The Brave Technologist have?

What topics does The Brave Technologist cover?

What is the most popular episode on The Brave Technologist?

What is the average episode length on The Brave Technologist?

How often are episodes of The Brave Technologist released?

When was the first episode of The Brave Technologist?

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