Archives for March 2026

Washington – While there will not be a comedian performing at this year’s The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25th, the acclaimed mentalist Oz Pearlman will headline the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. He will introduce a new style of entertainment to Washington’s most recognized annual gatherings. The selection reflects a continued evolution of the event, which brings together journalists, policymakers, and media leaders to celebrate the role of a free press and the First Amendment.

Pearlman, recently featured on 60 Minutes, is an Emmy Award-winning entertainer known for his interactive performances that blend psychology, memory, and illusion. His selection represents a shift from traditional stand-up comedy to a format designed to engage audiences in a shared experience centered on curiosity and surprise.

“As the world’s most celebrated mentalist, Oz Pearlman will offer a fascinating glimpse into what’s truly on the minds of Washington’s newsmakers,” said Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association. “We look forward to an exciting, fresh, and interactive evening as we celebrate the First Amendment and Washington news coverage together.”

The announcement comes during a period of continued change across the media industry, as organizations adapt to new technologies, evolving audience habits, and shifts in business models. Leadership transitions and ownership changes among major media companies – including Paramount’s acquisition of CBS – have drawn attention to how legacy news organizations are positioning themselves for the future in an increasingly digital and technology-driven environment.

For communities like the Washington AI Network, which convene leaders across media, technology, and public policy, moments like the White House Correspondents’ Dinner serve as reminders of the enduring role of public service, including journalism. The gathering remains a rare opportunity for professionals across sectors to come together to recognize reporting, storytelling, and the institutions that support the flow of information.

As Pearlman prepares to take the stage, the 2026 dinner reflects both continuity and change – honoring long-standing traditions while embracing new forms of engagement at a time when media and technology continue to evolve side by side.

Washington — The Washington AI Network hosted a podcast taping and reception featuring President Trump’s National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross and Cohesity CEO Sanjay Poonen. The standing room only crowd included leaders from technology, policy, and national security. Tammy Haddad interviewed both on the rapidly evolving threat landscape and why current defenses are struggling to keep pace. Cairncross pointed to a fundamental imbalance driving the problem. “The incentive scheme here is way out of whack,” he said, explaining that cyberattacks offer “a huge payoff for very little cost.” At the same time, defenders face an ever-expanding number of vulnerabilities.

From nation-state actors to ransomware groups, he emphasized that the challenge is only intensifying with artificial intelligence. “As AI is infused into this mix, the pace picks up, the speed picks up, and it becomes even more rewarding,” Cairncross said, underscoring the need for a stronger, more coordinated government response.

He also highlighted the importance of working with international allies, noting that cyber threats “don’t know borders,” as countries across Europe and beyond face many of the same attacks. The goal, he said, is to impose meaningful costs on bad actors and shift the current risk-reward dynamic.

Poonen echoed the need for deeper public-private collaboration, pointing to ongoing dialogue between industry leaders and government officials. “It was a really good dialogue…on how we could help in partnership,” he said, emphasizing that while companies are strong on defense, offensive capabilities must be led at the government level. “We can play cyber defense really well, but we need the government to play cyber offense.”

He also stressed the importance of modernizing government systems with secure infrastructure and noted that cyber threats facing the U.S. are increasingly mirrored globally. “Every NATO-friendly country and every democracy is going to see the same attacks,” Poonen said, referencing recent incidents abroad that reflect patterns seen in the United States.

SPOTTED: Alex Flemister, Lara Smith, Seval Oz, Lucy Ferguson, Senay Bulbul, Ryan Williams, Matt Gorman, Patty Stolnacker Koch, David Ashley, Maryam Mujica, Sumi Somaskanda, Phil and Chelsea Mattingly, Stephen O’Dwyer, Liz Johnson, Jaisha Wray, Firas Ibrahim, Nicoletta Giordani, Colin Moneymaker, Cat Zakrzewski, Harry Knight, Deniz Houston, Elizabeth Falcone, Julian Ramirez, Maggie Eastland and Benjamin Guggenheim.

The event brought together a cross-section of Washington’s technology and policy communities, highlighting the growing stakes of cybersecurity as AI accelerates both innovation and risk — and the increasing need for coordination across government, industry, and allies.

WASHINGTON — At a live recording of the Washington AI Network Podcast, Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel said artificial intelligence is poised to change that — bringing back the kind of personalized service travelers once got from a human agent, now through the devices they use every day.

Recorded at The House at 1229, the conversation was led by BBC News chief anchor Sumi Somaskanda, sitting in for Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad, in front of a room filled with leaders across tech, media, and policy.

Fogel, whose company includes Booking.com, Priceline, KAYAK, OpenTable, and Agoda, described a future where generative AI acts as an always-on travel assistant — one that understands preferences, anticipates disruptions, and can make real-time changes across flights, hotels, transportation, and dining.

“This is like a travel agent in my pocket,” Fogel said, pointing to the growing role of AI-powered tools across Booking Holdings’ platforms.

He outlined the company’s vision for a “Connected Trip,” where AI goes beyond booking to actively manage the full travel experience. From reworking itineraries due to weather to fixing missed reservations, the goal is to make travel more seamless from start to finish.

Fogel also highlighted how AI is already improving customer service, from cutting down wait times to helping agents respond faster and more efficiently. “You shouldn’t have to wait at all in the future,” he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged the challenges that come with how quickly AI is advancing, noting the difficulty for policymakers trying to keep pace. “It’s a dawn of a new age, and the problem is nobody has a good sense of what the future’s going to be,” he said.

The discussion also touched on digital taxes, global regulation, competition with major AI platforms, and how geopolitics continues to shape travel patterns worldwide.

SPOTTED: Sam Feist, Sarah Hudgins, Robert Hayes, Heather Kulp, Helen Milby, Meridith McGraw, Niamh King, Michael Petricone, Nicole Mortier, Jayne Sandman, Artur Orkisz, Matt Keller, Ruth Schipper, Angeli Chawla, Andrea Yang, Julian Ramirez, Sutton Tyson, T.W. Arrighi, Lisa Allen, Katy Balls, Christian Peña, Asad Ramzanali, Matt Gorman, Julian Graham and Danny Smith.

The episode is part of the Washington AI Network’s ongoing series exploring how AI is reshaping industries and everyday life. Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred platform.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) – the producer of CES® – is set to recognize a group of top U.S. policymakers and consumer technology innovators at its annual Digital Patriots Dinner and Consumer Technology Hall of Fame ceremony on April 21 during CTA Tech Week in Washington.

Among this year’s Digital Patriots honorees are White House Science & Technology Advisor Michael Kratsios, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), and U.S. Representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA). Reps. Lieu and Obernolte are being recognized for their leadership of the bipartisan House Artificial Intelligence Task Force, which has worked to develop policy recommendations to guide the United States’ approach to artificial intelligence.

The Digital Patriots program honors government leaders who advance public policies supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth in consumer technology. “Technology is transforming the world around us and strengthening America’s global leadership,” said Gary Shapiro, executive chair and CEO of CTA. “These honorees are helping drive that progress and have demonstrated a commitment to boosting innovation and the partnerships between industry and government that make it possible.”

“Our Digital Patriots and Hall of Fame inductees represent leaders shaping the policy and technologies that define the future,” said Kinsey Fabrizio, president of CTA. “Bringing those worlds together is core to CTA’s mission, and we are proud to celebrate the people moving innovation forward.”

CTA will also induct two prominent technology figures into the Consumer Technology Hall of Fame.

Gaming industry leader Reggie Fils-Aimé, the former president and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America and founder of Brentwood Growth Partners, will be recognized for his leadership during the launches of major platforms, including the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo Switch.

Technology entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and founder of venture firm Seven Seven Six, will also be inducted for his influence on the development of online communities and his continued investments in emerging technologies and startups.

The dinner will take place during CTA Tech Week, which convenes policymakers, industry executives, and innovators to discuss the future of technology policy in Washington. The week also includes CES on the Hill, an exhibition highlighting emerging consumer technologies and the companies developing them.

The Digital Patriots Dinner has become one of Washington’s key gatherings where lawmakers and technology leaders meet to discuss the intersection of policy and innovation — a focus CTA says is essential as the United States navigates competition in artificial intelligence, advanced computing, and digital infrastructure.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The residence of the French Ambassador Laurent Bili was standing room only as Jon Kelly, Puck co-founder, presented New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin with the First Amendment award at their annual celebration of the First Amendment.  Sens. Jim Banks (R-IN) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO) and Kevin Kiley (R-CA), joined media insiders, lawmakers, and technology leaders. 

Kelly praised Sorkin’s influence in business journalism and his role in shaping national conversations on markets, power, and the press. In his acceptance remarks, Sorkin warned that AI is moving faster than society is prepared for. “The real question is not whether jobs will change. It is whether we are ready for the scale of that change and what happens to the truth?”

Held at the elegant residence of Laurent Bili, the event celebrated the role of journalism in public life and drew a cross-section of Washington’s political, media, and technology communities. Conversations spanned the future of the media industry, the shifting relationship between technology and government, and the enduring importance of independent reporting. The gathering has become a fixture on Washington’s social calendar, drawing leading voices from politics, journalism, and business for an evening of celebration. 

The Puck journalists were there in force, including Dylan Byers, Peter Hamby, LeighAnn Caldwell, and John Ourand. The Trump Administration’s CMS lead, Chris Klomp, along with Noah Sofio, Alex Flemister, Seval Oz, and Karen Sessions, attended. Previous First Amendment recipients David Ignatius, Weijia Jiang, Kara Swisher, Amanda Katz, Cesar Conde, Kaitlan Collins, Pamela Brown attended. CTA’s incoming CEO Kinsey Fabrizio, Michael Petricone, Jill Hazelbaker, Josh Dawsey, Sumi Somaskanda, Cat Zakrzewski, Kasie Hunt, Katelyn Bledsoe, Olivia Igbokwe, Steve Thomma, Shawn McCreesh, Peter Baker, and Susan Glasser. Sarah Personette, Liz Gough, 

Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter, and the director Patty Jenkins, were also in attendance.