Digital Infrastructure

Tracking National Infrastructure Competition, Who’s Ahead and Who’s Behind

Founding Partner

Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Location: Green Rooms at Mellon
Doors Open & Networking: 8:00 a.m.
Programming: 9:00 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.

Connectivity is the digital backbone of an economy, determining the quality of education, the level of healthcare, and the amount of employment opportunities. But digital infrastructure goes beyond online access to also include factors like adequate power supplies. With AI supercharging these issues, what kind of investments will make the difference and what does that mean for who is poised to race ahead or fall behind?

Speakers

Jared Bernstein

Chair, White House Council of Economic Advisers

Steve Case

CEO, Revolution

Jeetu Patel

EVP and General Manager, Security & Collaboration, Cisco

Joe Dominguez

CEO, Constellation Energy

Kevin Scott

CTO, Microsoft

Gov. Roy Cooper

(D) North Carolina

Chris Clark

Chairman, Asia Pacific, Visa

John Roese

CTO, Dell Technologies

Brandon Wales

Executive Director, CISA

Kathy Grillo

Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs, Verizon

Frank McCourt

Executive Chair, Project Liberty

Tom Lue

General Counsel, Google DeepMind

Sandra Joyce

VP, Mandiant Intelligence at Google Cloud

Mark Simakovsky

Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID

Nicolaas Matthijs

Chief Product Officer, Anthology

Hosts

Steve Clemons

Founding Editor-at-Large, Semafor

Gina Chua

Executive Editor, Semafor

Gina Chon

Senior Editor, Semafor

Jordan Weissmann

Washington Editor, Semafor

Morgan Chalfant

Deputy Washington Bureau Chief, Semafor

Tim McDonnell

Climate and Energy Editor, Semafor

Reed Albergotti

Executive Editor, Semafor

Agenda

Opening Remarks
Featuring: Rachel Oppenheim, Chief Revenue Officer, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: Grading U.S. Digital Infrastructure

Featuring: Kathy Grillo, Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Verizon
In conversation with: Steve Clemons, Founding Editor-at-Large, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: AI and Digital Infrastructure
How the needs of people and business are changing as technology
evolves


Featuring: Kevin Scott, CTO, Microsoft
In conversation with: Reed Albergotti, Technology Editor, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: Class in Session
The pressing needs of students, teachers, and school officials and how AI is shaking that up 


Featuring: Nicolaas Matthijs, Chief Product Officer, Anthology
In conversation with: Gina Chua, Executive Editor, Semafor   

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Panel: Defending and Strengthening
How to build resiliency into our digital infrastructure 


Featuring: Brandon Wales, Executive Director, CISA; Sandra Joyce, Head of Global Intelligence, Mandiant; Jeetu Patel, EVP, Cisco
In conversation with: Morgan Chalfant, Deputy Washington Bureau Chief,
Semafor

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Panel: Rebuilding Ukraine
A look at the most pressing digital infrastructure needs as the country is in its second year of the war


Featuring: Mark Simakovsky, Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID
In conversation with: Morgan Chalfant, Deputy Washington Bureau Chief, Semafor

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Panel: AI and Unintended Consequences
How artificial intelligence can exacerbate inequities and how we can
avoid that outcome


Featuring: Steve Case, CEO, Revolution; Frank McCourt, Executive Chair, Project Liberty 
In conversation with: Gina Chua, Executive Editor, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: Energy’s Role in Our Connected Future
Powering our digital infrastructure as energy demands grow 


Featuring: Joe Dominguez, CEO and President, Constellation Energy
In conversation with: Tim McDonnell, Climate and Energy Editor, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: No One Left Behind
Closing the Gap for Vulnerable Workers


Featuring: Jared Bernstein, Chair, White House Council of Economic Advisors 
In conversation with: Jordan Weissmann, Washington Editor, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: Pay It Forward
What it takes to build an inclusive digital economy


Featuring: Chris Clark, Chairman, Asia Pacific, Visa
In conversation with: Gina Chon, Senior Editor, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: Reviving an African Giant
How Nigeria resets its economy in the face of difficult headwinds
and what role does digital infrastructure play in that turnaround?


Featuring: Wale Edun, Finance Minister, Nigeria
In conversation with: Yinka Adegoke, Africa Editor, Semafor 

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Tom Lue: Strong Medicine
The importance of digital infrastructure for medical innovation and equitable healthcare


Featuring: Tom Lue, General Counsel, Google DeepMind
In conversation with: Reed Albergotti, Technology Editor, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: A Blueprint for Universal Broadband
North Carolina’s effort to make internet more affordable and accessible


Featuring: Gov. Roy Cooper (D) North Carolina
In conversation with: Jordan Weissmann, Washington Editor, Semafor

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Fireside Chat: Beyond the Digital Divide
With online access largely covered, what else is missing from the puzzle? 


Featuring: John Roese, CTO, Dell Technologies
In conversation with: Reed Albergotti, Technology Editor, Semafor
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Closing Remarks; Program Adjourns 
Featuring: Rachel Oppenheim, Chief Revenue Officer, Semafor

Founding Partner