The Daily Scoop Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Clearview AI is building a deepfake detection tool; Trump administration plans expansion of U.S. quantum strategy
Date: September 23, 2025
Host: Billy Mitchell

Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast covers two significant developments shaping the intersection of government and technology leadership:

1. Clearview AI’s development of a deepfake detection tool in response to the growing challenge of AI-generated synthetic media.
2. The Trump administration's plans to expand the U.S. quantum strategy, with steps considered to accelerate the nation’s transition to quantum-safe cryptography and bolster global tech leadership.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Clearview AI Confronts Deepfakes

[00:09–03:53]

• Problem Addressed: Clearview AI, known for its expansive facial recognition database built by scraping publicly available internet images, is working on technologies to counter emerging challenges from AI-generated faces ("deepfakes").
• New Tool in Development:
  • Hal Lambert, the newly appointed co-CEO, announced the company is developing a detection tool designed to tag potentially AI-generated images.
  • Target users include federal law enforcement and other government agencies.
  • The tool aims to be ready for customers by the end of 2025.
• Background Context:
  • Clearview has amassed billions of images, serving clients such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the government of Ukraine.
  • Its system is already in use for victim identification and law enforcement investigations.
  • The company highlights strong facial recognition rankings from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
• Deepfake Challenges:
  • The proliferation of generative AI tools (e.g., OpenAI, Google) has made it harder to maintain accurate facial databases.
  • According to Lambert:

    “Right now, deep fakes or images that are edited or enhanced with artificial intelligence haven't been a major problem for the company.” (Hal Lambert, [02:53])

• Privacy and Civil Liberty Criticisms:
  • Organizations like the ACLU and EPIC and various lawmakers remain concerned about privacy threats, with calls to restrict federal agency adoption.
  • Lambert's response to concerns of live surveillance integration:

    “There was no way for law enforcement agencies to hook the tool up to a live surveillance feed and that it's simply public data that's used in the database.” (Hal Lambert, [03:38])

2. Trump Administration’s Quantum Computing Push

[03:53–05:25]

• Policy Momentum:
  • Signals from the administration and U.S. industry suggest forthcoming actions to enhance national quantum computing capabilities.
  • These could include one or more executive orders, a comprehensive national quantum plan, and directives for federal agencies to accelerate post-quantum security adoption timelines.
• Potential Changes:
  • A key proposal: moving up the federal deadline for migration to post-quantum cryptographic protections from 2035 to 2030.
  • The White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Department of Commerce are central to the initiative.
  • Commerce Deputy Secretary Paul Dabar is pinpointed as a significant driver of the strategy.
• Industry Conversations:
  • A top quantum executive (anonymous) conveyed:

    "Everyone in the quantum industry, from a policy standpoint, has been told some variation of the message that the White House wants to do for Quantum what they did for AI in July." ([04:56])

• Urgency and Scope:
  • While quantum computing’s threat to classical encryption is not yet fully realized, federal planning has been underway for years.
  • Former Department of Homeland Security officials confirm senior OSTP and Office of Management and Budget officials are “particularly aggressive” in pushing forward.
• Potential Timeline:
  • Official announcements could emerge within weeks, but there is caution that the process may extend over several months.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Clearview’s situation and stance on privacy:

  “There was no way for law enforcement agencies to hook the tool up to a live surveillance feed and that it's simply public data that's used in the database.”
  — Hal Lambert, Clearview AI co-CEO ([03:38])

• Quantum strategy acceleration:

  "Everyone in the quantum industry, from a policy standpoint, has been told some variation of the message that the White House wants to do for Quantum what they did for AI in July."
  — Anonymous quantum industry executive ([04:56])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:09] – Clearview AI deepfake detection tool overview
• [01:12] – Federal law enforcement and Clearview’s customer base
• [02:53] – Hal Lambert on deepfakes’ current impact
• [03:38] – Lambert’s response to privacy integration concerns
• [03:53] – Introduction to Trump administration’s quantum push
• [04:56] – Anonymous executive’s perspective on White House quantum policy
• [05:25] – End of main content

Tone & Language

Billy Mitchell adopts a clear, factual, and forward-looking tone throughout the episode, providing concise summaries and referencing direct statements from key figures and sources.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a comprehensive yet accessible overview of September 23rd’s top federal technology headlines.