Sometimes it can be a little tricky putting two execs from different organizations in the same slot. Not true with McKinney and Powell, who have a years-long mutual admiration for one another. Powell commands the policy side of the industry, while McKinney guides the technology. Both push for investment and innovation—which is felt inside and outside the industry. NTIA’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences selected CableLabs for the second consecutive year as the host lab for its 5G Challenge. And Powell has made NCTA a thought leader for key telecom issues such as net neutrality and spectrum policy.
Which industry executive do you wish was running for president? Michael Powell. Over his career at the FCC and NCTA, Michael has demonstrated an uncanny ability to balance competing interests, promote innovation and navigate complex government and policy issues while protecting consumers.
What celebrity would you hire for your company? Will.i.am. He’s a visionary, an innovator and a collaborator. When I was CTO at HP, Will.i.am and I worked together on a project, and his creativity was simply astounding.
If you were a social media influencer, what product would you peddle? It would be… the Remarkable 2. It’s not just a device; it’s a game-changer. A digital notepad that feels like real paper, it’s a haven for thinkers, readers, and those who love to sketch their ideas. It’s a tool that encourages creativity and productivity, which I deeply value. Now, you might be thinking, “Wait a minute, didn’t we see Phil in an ad for Remarkable 2?” Yes, you did. But here’s the twist – I was already a dedicated user well before they approached me for that campaign. I recognized its potential and had been reaping its benefits long before I decided to endorse it. So why did I agree to be part of that ad campaign? Was it for personal gain? Absolutely not. All the proceeds from that campaign went towards a cause I’m passionate about – building a new high school in Rwanda. By promoting a product that fuels innovation, we were able to contribute to the education and future innovation in another part of the world. You can watch one of the ads at https://youtu.be/L3ZWdBj3Yg8
The last thing A.I. got wrong was… assuming a one-size-fits-all approach to problem-solving. In the world of innovation, there’s no such thing as a universal solution. Just as each person has unique fingerprints, every challenge we face in the business and tech spheres requires a tailored response. Can you imagine trying to use the same key for every lock? It simply wouldn’t work. Now, don’t get me wrong. AI is a powerful tool that is transforming our world in countless ways. But it’s not infallible. It doesn’t possess the human traits of ingenuity and adaptability—the ability to think outside the box, to pivot when an obstacle emerges. And that’s where the real magic happens. So, how do we correct this? We need to continue training our AI systems with diverse data sets, exposing them to a myriad of scenarios so they can learn to better handle different situations. And we must remember that AI is a tool to augment human capabilities, not replace them. After all, who’s better equipped to understand the complexities and nuances of human problems than humans themselves?