- This event has passed.
Why & How We Can Advance More People-Centered Approaches to AI: Pragmatic, Practical Paths Amid Turbulence
Why & How We Can Advance More People-Centered Approaches to AI: Pragmatic, Practical Paths Amid Turbulence
Speaker: David Bray (https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Host: Jim Spohrer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/
The discussion explores tensions in how the rule of law and privacy are upheld or undermined, and how people can retain agency in shaping AI’s role in their lives.
Discovery Summit Panel is still on October 21: https://issip.org/event/discovery-summit-2026/
About David A. Bray, PhD
David A. Bray, PhD, is Chair of the Accelerator at the Loomis Council and a Distinguished Fellow with the Stimson Center. He also is Principal and CEO at LeadDoAdapt Ventures and has led in turbulent environments, including responding to 9/11, bioterrorism preparedness and response from 2000-2005, Afghanistan in 2009, and multiple years as a Senior National Intelligence Executive. He currently works as a transformation leader for “under the radar” ventures pioneering breakthroughs in AI, space, bio, drones, and robots. David previously directed the bipartisan Congressional Commission for the Review of the Research and Development Programs of the U.S. Intelligence Community, served as Senior Executive and CIO of the FCC, and collaborated as a senior expert with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Special Operations on countering disruptive gray zone conflicts. He was honored with both the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award and the National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal. Business Insider named him one of 24 Americans Who Are Changing the World.
In 2025, Dr. Bray was invited to testify as an expert witness before a public U.S. Congressional hearing on AI. In December 2019, he led the bipartisan Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data that included Senator Warner, Senator Portman, Rep. DelBene, and Rep. McCaul. From 2017 to 2020, David directed the People-Centered Internet coalition Chaired by Internet co-originator Vint Cerf. He was named a Senior Fellow with the Institute for Human-Machine Cognition in 2018. In 2025, he was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by Emory University’s Graduate School and subsequently the non-partisan National Academy of Public Administration named him one of 250 Public Service Champions for the U.S. Semiquincentennial. The Marconi Society recently announced that David will be their inaugural recipient of their Excellence in AI award for global leadership in November 2026.
