On August 14th, Aspen Digital, in partnership with the Library of Congress, Metagov, and the Public AI Network, hosted an exclusive event focused on building a public AI ecosystem to benefit the American public. Leaders from government, academia, tech, and civil society gathered to explore public alternatives to private AI.

The event featured a keynote by Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law Professor, who emphasized the critical need for public-oriented AI. Lessig warned against the risks of leaving AI development solely in private hands, citing environmental concerns and the potential for catastrophic failures. He advocated for stronger regulation, robust government oversight, and the expansion of open-source AI initiatives to ensure that AI is developed in the public interest. Lessig's message was clear: this is the moment to act, before it's too late.

Watch below, click here or visit the event website to watch Lessig's full speech.