5 questions for the Business Software Alliance's Victoria Espinel

Politico

31-01-2025

Presented by Spectrum for the Future
Hello, and welcome to this week's installment of the Future in Five Questions. We caught up with Victoria Espinel, the CEO of the enterprise software trade group the Business Software Alliance and a former AI and trade adviser to President Joe Biden. Espinel discusses why she thinks quantum computing remains underrated, the importance of building out tech infrastructure and educating workers in high-tech skills and the seemingly bottomless hunger for policymakers to learn about AI. An edited and condensed version of the conversation follows:
What's one underrated big idea?
We're going to hear more about quantum computing. Quantum computing has immense potential to boost economic growth due to its ability to solve complex problems beyond the reach of classical computers. It's often discussed in the context of breaking encryption and post-quantum cryptography algorithms, and there has been some good work done on this in the private sector and at NIST. But quantum computing can revolutionize many industries by supercharging materials discovery, financial and environmental modeling, and supply chain management.
To tap quantum technology's full potential, we need to continue to invest in AI and cybersecurity. Investment in AI and cyber solutions means the development of more secure code, the ability to quickly detect and respond to threats, to protect against malware and more. AI should be seen as a key cyberdefense tool that can deliver the best cybersecurity outcomes by generating threat intelligence and other innovative tools. No technology is a silo; AI, cyber and quantum can reinforce one another to combat malicious actors.
What's a technology that you think is overhyped?
Some experts predict AI will replace human decision-making. But human judgment remains essential as AI advances, particularly for complex decisions requiring emotional intelligence and cultural understanding that AI systems cannot fully replicate. While AI excels at data processing and pattern recognition, human insight is needed to navigate ambiguous situations, provide context and make nuanced decisions. Rather than being replaced, human judgment will be indispensable for strategic guidance and ethical oversight of AI systems.
What book most shaped your conception of the future?
'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L'Engle. As a child, it got me thinking about the use and consequences of power. Science illuminates human mysteries; technology expands human capabilities. It is essential that we use science and technology in ways that respect the faith and love that unite us as humans.
What could the government be doing regarding technology that it isn't?
We made several suggestions in a letter to the Trump administration this week. One is the need for technology to broadly benefit the public. Government can start by increasing access to training in essential, high-tech skills that are in demand today by employers across industries. It can also spread innovation by investing in technology infrastructure to ensure businesses and communities across the country share in the benefits of technological progress.
What has surprised you the most this year?
The amount of time policymakers around the world have been willing to spend learning about AI. Our briefings have been standing room only. There's a broad and genuine hunger to understand the technology better in order to make policy. This isn't always the case, so it's very welcome. I'm looking forward to continuing this conversation with other stakeholders in France next week at the Paris AI Action Summit.
ai act loopholes
Critics of the European Union's AI Act are saying it doesn't go far enough to prevent police abuses.
POLITICO's Pieter Haeck reported for Pro subscribers on alleged loopholes for bans on law enforcement using the technology to profile if someone will commit a crime, known as predictive policing, or to scrape the internet for images to build facial recognition databases or to use biometrics to determine emotions. There are carveouts in the law allowing European authorities to use real-time facial recognition technology in public places.
'You can even question whether you can really speak of a prohibition if there [are] so many exceptions,' Nathalie Smuha, an assistant professor and researcher in AI ethics at KU Leuven, told Pieter.
The ban on emotion detection only extends to schools and offices, meaning law enforcement and migration officials retain access to it. Kim Van Sparrentak, a Dutch Greens lawmaker involved in the AI Act negotiations, said that retaining that access was a red line for EU governments in the final hours of negotiations.
deepseek booted from the house
The House of Representatives is warning staffers not to use DeepSeek technology.
POLITICO's Ben Leonard and Meredith Lee Hill reported Thursday evening for Pro subscribers on a notice from the House's Chief Administrative Officer saying the chamber is currently reviewing the Chinese-developed technology, and it's not authorized for official use on 'House-issued devices, including phones, computers and tablets' during that process.
'Threat actors are already exploiting DeepSeek to deliver malicious software and infect devices,' the notice says. Anonymous House staffers told Ben and Meredith such a move is rare, having last been made in 2024 to restrict TikTok use in the House.
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