Privacy & Parenting: Your Child’s Digital Footprint
Debbie Reynolds, Chief Data Privacy Officer and host of “The Data Diva Talks Privacy” podcast, discusses the challenges parents face in protecting their children online, and simple habits users can adopt to take back control of their privacy. She also discusses the growing recognition among companies that excessive data collection poses significant risks. Key Takeaways: How consumer expectations for data are privacy changing The asymmetrical relationship between consumers and companies regarding data privacy How companies can scale a human‑centric approach to privacy The importance of decentralization in future data management Guest Bio: Debbie Reynolds—aka “The Data Diva”—is a globally recognized technologist, thought leader, and advisor in data privacy and emerging technology. With over 20 years of experience, she has delivered keynote talks for major organizations like Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, PayPal, TikTok, and Uber. Her insights have been featured in leading media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, and Wired. Debbie hosts the #1 global award-winning podcast, “The Data Diva Talks Privacy,” which reaches listeners in over 120 countries. Identity Review has named her one of the Global Top Eight Privacy Experts, and the European Risk Policy Institute has named her a Top 30 CyberRisk Communicator. She also chairs the IEEE Cyber Security Committee for the Next Generation Connectivity Systems Privacy Labeling Project. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
--------
28:38
Zero-Knowledge Proofs and Their Impact on Digital Identity and Privacy
Rob Viglione, Co-Founder and CEO of Horizen Labs and zkVerify, shares his transition from military intelligence in Afghanistan to co-founding a blockchain company. He discusses the role of zero-knowledge (ZK) technology in enabling private transactions, the need for integration of crypto with traditional finance, and the vision to bring off-chain information on chain. Key Takeaways: Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs): what they are, and why they’re so important in today’s digital landscape The utility of cryptocurrencies for individuals in poorly governed jurisdictions The convergence of AI and blockchain, and how ZKPs can verify AI outputs without compromising privacy The real-world applications of ZK technology, such as private transactions, digital identity verification, and connecting traditional finance with blockchain Guest Bio: Rob Viglione is the co-founder and CEO of Horizen Labs, the development studio behind several leading Web3 projects, including zkVerify and Horizen. Rob served in the U.S. Air Force and was deployed to Afghanistan, where he supported Special Operations Task Force intelligence efforts. During this time, he developed an early interest in Bitcoin, recognizing its potential benefits for countries with unstable economies. Today, Rob’s work focuses on Web3 scalability, blockchain efficiency, and zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). With the growing convergence of AI and blockchain, Horizen Labs is also exploring how ZKPs can be used to help verify AI model outputs without compromising privacy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
--------
33:46
Building Mobile Games for Legacy Brands like the NBA, The New York Times, and Wordle
Shafik Quoraishee, Senior Mobile/AI Game Developer at the New York Times, discusses the development process behind popular New York Times games such as Crosswords and Connections, along with what they learned about consumer behavior from the highly addictive and viral success of Wordle. Key Takeaways: How to balance innovation with the legacy of traditional games The importance of user engagement and testing in game development The future potential of AI in creating immersive gaming experiences Guest Bio: Shafik Quoraishee who is a Senior Mobile/AI Game Developer at the New York Times. He works on popular games such as The New York Times Crosswords, Connections, Strands, and Wordle, and is deeply interested in the intersection of AI and accessibility. Previously Shafik was a Senior Android Engineer for the National Basketball Association, and a Senior Data Engineer at Business Insider. Connect with Shafik: Website: https://www.shafikquoraishee.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@squoraishee Medium: https://squoraishee.medium.com/ X: https://x.com/SQuoraishee ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
--------
31:58
The Rise of Brave and User Privacy + Navigating the 2025 Tech Landscape
Luke Mulks, Vice President of Business Operations at Brave Software, discusses how AI and crypto regulations have evolved in 2025, including new opportunities and regulatory reversals. He also shares updates about Brave's achievements and the movement towards a private world. Key Takeaways: Brave's growth in user privacy and engagement The impact of user feedback and community involvement for Brave Ongoing developments with the Basic Attention Token (BAT), and new initiatives like the Rewards Partner Program How shifting to a “user first” podcast theme has impacted the success of the show Guest Bio: Luke Mulks is the Vice President of Business Operations at Brave Software, where he helps lead the company’s privacy-focused advertising and Web3 initiatives. Since joining in 2016, he’s played a key role in launching Brave Ads and expanding the Basic Attention Token (BAT) ecosystem. A former ad tech executive and media producer, Luke also hosts The Brave Technologist podcast, making emerging tech like AI and blockchain more accessible. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
--------
24:56
Gamifying Sleep: How Sleepagotchi Leverages Web3 to Incentivize Health Habits
Anton Kraminkin, Founder of Sleepagotchi, shares insights on the importance of sleep, the cultural shifts towards valuing sleep, and how Sleepagotchi rewards users for maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Key Takeaways: The surprising sleep habits Sleepagotchi has learned about their users The ethics of gamifying health habits and working with sensitive data Combating bots and bad actors attracted to the financial incentives Sleepagotchi provides The use of Telegram as a tool for marketing and low-friction user acquisition Monetization and ways to generate revenue in the Web3/health space Guest Bio: Anton Kraminkin is the founder and CEO of Sleepagotchi, a sleep app that uses gamification and AI to incentivize users to sleep better. Sleepagotchi raised investments from 6th Man Ventures, Collab+Currency, 1kx and Alliance, and angels including the CPO of Duolingo, among others. Previously, Anton worked on product at Duolingo. He started Sleepagotchi while completing his studies at Harvard Business School. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte
Technology is reshaping society—but how are users included in the conversation?
The Brave Technologist explores how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and Web3 are influencing our lives, our choices, and our collective future.
Unlike many tech podcasts that focus on hype and disruption, this show puts users at the center of the conversation. Each episode features thoughtful discussions with technologists working to ensure that innovation serves the public interest. How are these tools impacting users? And how can we ensure that technology is developed with transparency, accountability, and the public good in mind?
We’re going deep with founders, builders, policy makers and researchers to explore the worlds of privacy, AI, crypto, digital rights, algorithmic accountability, and everywhere else where cutting edge technology impacts our daily lives.
South Africa