Luncheon Speaker’s Biography May 20, 2019

William A. Carter

Deputy Director of the Technology Policy Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)

Mr. Carter’s research focuses on international cyber and technology policy issues, including artificial intelligence, surveillance and privacy, cyber conflict and deterrence, financial sector cybersecurity, and law enforcement and technology, including encryption, 5G, and technologies of the future. He has spoken at events and conferences around the world on cyber and technology policy issues with China, Russia, and Australia.

In a CSIS February 12, 2019, article by Mr. Carter, titled, “The American AI Initiative: Bluster or Gangbuster?”, he made the following observation about the Executive Order on Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence issued on February 11, 2019 . “President Trump signed an executive order (EO) yesterday outlining the American AI Initiative, a five-part national strategy to maintain U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence (AI). While long overdue, this is a critical first step in developing a concrete and coherent approach to building the technological foundation of the next generation of economic growth. The EO is notably short on specifics, and does not include any actual funding for implementation, but hits the right notes and emphasizes most of the important policies needed to support AI development and U.S. leadership. With a detailed implementation plan and strong leadership, the American AI Initiative could prove to be the most important policy initiative of the Trump administration.”

Before joining CSIS, Will worked in the Goldman Sachs Investment Strategy Group, where he conducted extensive research and analysis on the technology and telecom sectors, as well as political and security developments in China, Russia, Japan, North Korea, Europe, and the Middle East, and energy and commodity markets. He previously worked at the Council on Foreign Relations and at Caxton Associates, a New York hedge fund.

He graduated from New York University with a B.A. in economics.