Artificial intelligence (AI) and the US
Many institutions are now using AI models as tools to think about solutions to a variety of challenges, from the everyday to the global. At the same time, many commentators have expressed concerns about AI and its effects on society, the economy and democracy.
In this series The Ballpark speaks to academic experts to explore the implications of AI technology for US society and politics.
Latest podcasts in this series
AI and deepfakes with Dr Gili Vidan
1 December 2025As long as there has been photographic and video imagery, there have been manipulated videos and photos. But only in the last decade or so have the public become aware of what are known as “deepfakes”, computer or AI generated fake images, often of celebrities. The spread of deepfake imagery raises questions about truth and authenticity online – can we still trust what we see on screen?
To discuss deepfakes, and the idea of trust and authenticity in the digital sphere more broadly, the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Gili Vidan, Assistant Professor of Information Science at Cornell University’s Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science.
Listen to the episode [LSE Player]
Further reading and other ways to listen
AI, social media, and political disinformation with Dr Josephine Lukito
20 October 2025To talk about social media and politics, and how AI can help spread – or tackle – disinformation, the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Josephine Lukito, Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism and Media. Her research specializes in malicious political language in the public sphere, focusing on cross-platform flows of messages and frames about global economic and political issues.
The discussion covers how social media and AI are influencing political communication, disinformation, and election strategies in the US and globally and about the evolving role of platforms, algorithms, and AI tools in shaping elections and democratic governance.
Listen to the episode [LSE Player]
Further reading and other ways to listen
AI and the workplace with Professor Ifeoma Ajunwa
6 October 2025AI is now increasingly playing a role in many parts of our lives, and the workplace is no exception. AI is now being used by employers to help them to recruit new staff and by jobseekers in their applications. But AI is also now present when we work. It’s used by employers to manage their employees, from monitoring what they are doing during the day, to what they post on social media.
To talk about the rise of AI in the workplace, and what it means for workers and employers, in August 2025, the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Ifeoma Ajunwa, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law at Emory University.
Listen to the episode [LSE Player]
Further reading and other ways to listen
Who is liable for AI? With Dr Anat Lior
22 September 2025AI has legal consequences. Who is responsible when AI makes a mistake which causes harm or financial loss? What role does government regulation play, and do we need to revise our legal frameworks in the face of increasingly capable AI?
To talk about these questions, we spoke to Anat Lior, assistant professor at Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law.
Listen to the episode [LSE Player]
Further reading and other ways to listen
AI automation and the workforce with Dr Baobao Zhang
8 September 2025We explore the impacts AI is already having on the workforce with Baobao Zhang, Maxwell Dean Associate Professor of the Politics of AI in the Political Science Department at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. The discussion covers how recent advances in AI have shifted the landscape when it comes to labor automation, the anxiety that many people are feeling about the potential for AI to affect jobs and industries through automation, and what students should be doing to best prepare for a career in workplaces that will be affected by AI in the coming decades.
Listen to the episode [Spotify]
Further reading and other ways to listen
The US-China AI race with Professor Angela Zhang
30 June 2025We spoke to Angela Zhang, Professor of Law at the Gould School of Law of the University of Southern California about the ongoing AI competition between China and the US with Professor Zhang is an expert on AI regulation, both in China and globally. They spoke about China’s current approach to AI regulation, and how this compares with the US, and why China may be content with being a “close second” in the AI race.
Listen to the episode [Spotify]
Further reading and other ways to listen
AI and intellectual property with Dr Bhamati Viswanathan
21 May 2025The rise of AI tools has been fuelled by the scraping of online resources as training data for the large language models that power them. This has important implications for how we think about intellectual property and the rights of those who created this training data. To find out more, we spoke to Professor Bhamati Viswanathan of New England Law Boston.
Listen to the episode [Spotify]
Interviews in this series are conducted by the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson.
We’d love to hear what you think of our podcasts and videos – you can send us a message on Twitter @LSE_US, or email us at uscentre@lse.ac.uk.
Our theme tune is by Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers”, a Seattle based gypsy jazz band.
Banner image: Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash