Darrell M. West

Washington, D.C.

Vice President and Senior Fellow, The Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings Institution

Co-Host at TechTank

Featured in: Favicon

brookings.edu Favicon

medium.com Favicon

businessinsider.com Favicon

cnbc.com

newsweek.com Favicon

techcrunch.com Favicon

theatlantic.com Favicon

fastcompany.com Favicon

lawfareblog.com Favicon

golocalprov.com + 7 more

Articles

How much influence do private firms have over space policy? | The TechTank Podcast

1 week ago | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West |Eric Lipton

TechTank, a biweekly podcast from the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings, explores today’s most consequential technology issues. Moderators Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West speak with experts and policymakers to share data, ideas, and policy solutions that address the challenges of our digital world. As ambitious efforts to return humans to the moon advance, other developments in space exploration continue.
How DOGE is using AI in government | The TechTank Podcast

3 weeks ago | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West |Allison Stanger

TechTank, a biweekly podcast from the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings, explores today’s most consequential technology issues. Moderators Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West speak with experts and policymakers to share data, ideas, and policy solutions that address the challenges of our digital world.
Do Americans really want a policy revolution?

3 weeks ago | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West

A major question about President Donald Trump’s first 100 days of his second term is whether Americans truly want a policy revolution. The chief executive has thought big, pushed through major procedural roadblocks, and implemented extraordinary cutbacks in budget and personnel for key agencies.
How AI can enable public surveillance

4 weeks ago | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers many promising applications. Algorithms and machine learning can help and target treatment in effective ways. AI also plays a role in tracking climate change by monitoring weather patterns. Wildlife experts have coupled AI with satellite imagery to monitor how endangered species are faring and where threats are appearing. But there is a dark side to AI as well, given its potential for nefarious purposes.
Can billionaires buy democracy?

1 month ago | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West |Kathryn Dunn Tenpas

... ultimately, we can outvote wealthy people because they are a relatively small part of our society and a small part our electorate. But it takes a recognition about what is happening, about the wealthification, about the benefits that wealthy individuals have gotten out of our political system. Darrell West Over the past 50 years, the U.S. has seen a sharp rise in both income inequality and the political influence of ultra-rich Americans.
The power of protest in the US

1 month ago | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West

In 1968, Professor Michael Lipsky wrote an influential article titled “Protest as a Political Resource,” in which he compared effective and ineffective movements. He argued that successful movements have clear strategic goals, use protest to broaden coalitions, seek to enlist more powerful individuals in their cause, and connect expressions of discontent to broader political and electoral mobilization.
Why social security disinformation is dangerous

1 month ago | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West

Elon Musk has called Social Security a “Ponzi scheme” rife with fraud, waste, and abuse. President Donald Trump argued in his State of the Union address that there are millions of people over the age of 100 who are fraudulently on the Social Security rolls, with some receiving government benefits. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers are calling Social Security Administration workers inefficient and threatening to make major reductions in its workforce based on that argument.
The future of the instant runoff election reform

Dec 10, 2024 | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West

American politics is facing a challenging period marked by polarized elections, intense candidate rhetoric, and increasingly extreme leadership. In this situation, it is important to move toward electoral reforms that encourage more moderate candidates and enable politicians to build majority coalitions that address important issues facing the country. In this paper, I examine ranked-choice voting (also known as instant runoffs) to see how it affects campaign discourse and election outcomes.
What to expect from the Trump administration on cybersecurity | The TechTank Podcast

Dec 9, 2024 | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West |Stephanie Pell

Editor's note: The transcript provided is automatically generated and may include inaccuracies. The digital world has become a dangerous place. We have seen foreign entities burrow into telecom networks and extract highly confidential information. There have been hacks of vital infrastructure, ransomware attacks, and thefts of sensitive databases.
Will the US become the new crypto capital of the world? | The TechTank Podcast

Nov 25, 2024 | brookings.edu | Darrell M. West

Donald Trump’s 2024 election win could set the stage for a sweeping policy overhaul, fueled by ambitious plans to make the United States the crypto capital of the world. From a potential national Bitcoin reserve to pro-crypto regulatory leadership, the sector is gearing up for a transformative period.