Jonathan Zittrain

Artificial intelligence provokes both excitement and anxiety. Even as the world awaits the vast opportunities of AI, we are wary of the possible ways it can go wrong, and how it can undermine entire business models in the blink of an eye. Jonathan Zittrain, a scholar of the development of the internet, says that as AI becomes more advanced and more common, we must consider three questions:

• How do we successfully embed AI in our technologies?
• What AI breakthroughs are imminent and which ones are in the distant future?
• What are the risks and benefits of deploying AI?

In this presentation, which can be tailored to different audiences and focus on specific subsets of the broader theme, Zittrain explores ways in which AI is already reshaping the world and how it might change in the future. Companies need to develop a deeper understanding of which aspects of AI will be most transformative and how they can respond; what they should embrace and what is merely a passing fad; and the reputational and ethical risks inherent in the technology, and how they can create a framework for containing or addressing them.

For nearly two decades, cybersecurity experts have worried about what they call the “supply chain problem”: When incorporating others’ technology into a product or service, how can users be assured that the tech will behave the way it should? In this eye-opening presentation, Harvard Law School professor and cybersecurity expert Jonathan Zittrain, explains that this is an especially urgent question in an era in which everything is persistently networked and, as a result, potentially open to instructions from outside of an organization. In fact, he explains to audiences, this is a problem so profound and with such limited answers that it leads to a “too big to fail” issue. Leaders can’t get absolute guarantees about outside tech, but they can’t refuse to use it, either. Attendees walk away with an understanding of top-level issues when implementing outside tech, as well as practical approaches for living, as much as possible, with the uncertainties of an insecure and sometimes downright hostile digital environment.

Are you ready for a new era of cybersecurity, even as the last era wasn’t satisfactorily resolved? Jonathan Zittrain, a pioneering student of cybersecurity, illuminates the path forward for organizations interested in getting a closer look at this quickly shifting terrain. Zittrain provides timely insights into the evolving threat landscape and the unique challenges posed by such things as AI-generated personas. His blend of technical and legal prowess helps businesses understand the complexities and consequences of  cyber threats while ensuring data integrity. Zittrain delivers actionable strategies, enabling organizations to not only defend against but also anticipate these emerging threats. With his guidance, leaders and teams emerge as proactive, informed players in the AI-driven digital world, equipped to create proactive cybersecurity frameworks rooted in understanding and adaptability.

With massive data breaches commonplace and data integrity in doubt, cyber security continues to be a vital policy and legal issue. The challenges are real and plentiful: while the openness of PCs and the Internet has spawned an abundance of connectivity and creativity, it has also brought a growing scourge of spam, viruses, identity theft and cyber-terrorism. But in the face of such threats, the answer is not a move toward simpler, locked-down devices in exchange for security, Jonathan Zittrain argues. He discusses the false starts in understanding the simultaneously underappreciated and overhyped fields of cybersecurity and cyber warfare, and offers a view on where the deepest problems lie – and how to address them. Should we be afraid? Are we prepared? In this presentation, Zittrain will explore:

• Cyber Terrorism and Technology Infrastructure Protection: Why is the government so deeply concerned about it, while proposing only a “partnership” to deal with it?
• Civil Liberties: Zittrain paints a picture of the surveillance society to come and highlights the ethical implications.
• The Cantonized Internet: Get ready for filters left and right—ideological, mercenary, governmental, and ultimately our own, as the idea of a “generally accessible” web site available on “the” Internet recedes into the past.
• Why the Internet of Things is making cybersecurity that much more difficult

The most engaging panel discussions stimulate thought, challenge perspectives and facilitate in-depth understanding. Renowned Harvard Law School professor Jonathan Zittrain is a maestro moderator who makes panels unforgettable experiences for audiences and panelists alike. Zittrain approaches moderation differently than most. He fosters dynamic, organic conversations, encouraging panelists to rethink established viewpoints and adapt to unfolding dialogues. Whether it’s a Socratic dialogue — where a diverse panel navigates through hypothetical scenarios, exploring complex ethical and value-based questions — or a town hall format that promotes interactive Q&A, Zittrain’s moderating style ensures a captivating exchange of ideas. He also offers a hybrid of these formats, blending the Socratic approach with open discussion, creating a space for decision makers to think aloud. This is not mere moderation — it’s an engaging, thought-provoking journey led by Zittrain’s expertise in law and technology, his witty incisiveness and a shared humility in exploring the known and unknown.

Over the past decade, our lives have been transformed by social media. Suddenly, we could connect, share information and network with others, all for free. Except it wasn’t free. Instead of paying money, we were exchanging our personal data – and compromising our own cybersecurity – for the ability to easily share online. This has been increasingly problematic as consumers realize – thanks to dramatic scandals and data breaches – how much their own privacy and security have been compromised.

According to Harvard professor Jonathan Zittrain, companies which have access to our information should be held to the same standard as doctors, lawyers and other professionals to whom similarly sensitive details about our personal lives are available. Rather than tech companies changing (or being forced to change) their business models wholesale, they can instead embrace a “fiduciary” responsibility to their customers. As threats become more extensive and malicious, digital firms’ protection of our data will become a matter of basic cybersecurity in addition to one of personal privacy, and penalties for not guaranteeing safety will be severe. This presentation is geared toward companies who want to leave a legacy of having changed the world for the better and succeeded financially, as well as the policymakers who are weighing options to deal with those businesses who do not have the desire or ability to embrace change.

“Non-fungible tokens” (NFTs) broke into general awareness through their eye-popping valuations — with people naturally wondering not only who would buy them, but what they are. Harvard professor Jonathan Zittrain has been researching the minor miracles  and major idiosyncracies of the digital era since the Internet first went mainstream. In this talk, he explains what “unowned” technologies like cryptocurrency, the web, and the Internet itself are, and why the very fact that no one readily controls them can lend them special value. But how to distinguish between their genius and their madness? For more insight, see Zittrain’s X thread on the subject.

Have we lost faith in the digital world due to an onslaught of privacy scandals, misinformation and opaque algorithms? Harvard professor Jonathan Zittrain is an authoritative voice on how people perceive digital trust and how to rebuild it when it’s been broken. Zittrain proposes a pathway to restore trust, balancing innovation and inclusion. He deciphers complex issues, illuminating the role technology makers and societal institutions play in creating or breaking digital trust. He delves into how we can leverage these powerful technologies while maintaining individual autonomy and community integrity. With Zittrain’s insights, organizations gain confidence in exploring the new tools presented by digital age, such as generative AI, creating an environment that fosters innovation without sacrificing trust. In Zittrain’s reckoning, it’s not about rejecting digital advancements, but about embracing them with a renewed sense of trust and accountability.

Does your strategic vision for the future show AI as enhancing human work, rather than replacing it? Harvard Law School professor Jonathan Zittrain, a thought leader on AI and digital technologies, provides an enlightening perspective on how to embrace the way AI, automation and the gig economy are reshaping our concept of work. He argues that AI’s emergence is an opportunity, not a threat, enabling us to channel human creativity into fulfilling, productive roles while routine tasks are delegated to AI. Zittrain’s insights empower companies to strategize for a future where AI and humans coexist harmoniously, leading organizations through how these changes will affect leaders and teams at all levels. Demonstrating strategies that facilitate understanding, foster adaptability, and ensure a future of work that benefits all, Zittrain shows organizations how to flourish in the AI era while still prioritizing the human touch.

Facebook – now Meta – is among the latest companies convinced not only that there’s money to be made in virtual worlds, but that humanity’s future may largely lie there. Whether conceived in textual gaming, reconceived in role-playing environments like Second Life, or now more fully realized in multimedia networks and advanced hardware that create fully immersive experiences, what challenges lie ahead for a society that has already seen the harm such technologies can inflict? Acknowledging that organizations will continue to develop products that push people farther into online environments and away from reality, Jonathan Zittrain – professor of law and computer science at Harvard University and a leading voice for the ethics of data use – reminds us of the lessons learned from past attempts to populate a metaverse.  He gives participants a preview of how this next phase will likely impact such issues as privacy, property, speech and governance, explores related ethical questions, and recommends ways organizations can do better. By being more conscious about how they develop and deploy technologies and who they target, organizational leaders and teams can play a critical role in building the kind of future they want for themselves and their posterity.