Ethical AI and Digital Ownership: Virtru Leaders Weigh In on Tech Trends
As our world evolves, the way we manage an ever-increasing volume of data must also change. This key theme emerged in two recent conversations with Joel Beasley on the Modern CTO Podcast, featuring Virtru’s Co-Founder and CTO, Will Ackerly; and EVP of Platform, Rob McDonald.
Follow the links below to listen in as Will and Rob share the experiences that led them to Virtru, as well as their philosophies on some of the most pressing tech issues of our time.
Will Ackerly on Zero Trust, Controlling Data Access, and Keeping Bias Out of AI
In this episode, Will discusses the challenges of bias in artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, and how more transparency is critical to ensuring we build a strong foundation for ethical AI in the future. He also shares about his experience working for the National Security Administration and how that work led to the creation of the Trusted Data Format and the co-founding of Virtru, as well as the evolution of Zero Trust architectures across the private and public sectors.
In the clip below, Will discusses some considerations for ethical AI algorithms.

Rob McDonald on Overcoming Technical Debt and Reclaiming Digital Ownership
In this episode, Rob McDonald describes how empathy for the end user has shaped his career in cybersecurity. He shares his perspective on the fact that that technology should empower the users to do their jobs, and he describes how a data-centric security approach can enable a more flexible and connected technology ecosystem. By focusing on the data itself, organizations can also break free of technical debt and take a more efficient and cost-effective approach to data protection.
In the clip below, Rob discusses the need for smart, strategic persistence in tech.
To discover more Virtru resources, check out our Resource Library, where you can watch videos, download guides, follow along with webinars, and listen to other conversations with cybersecurity experts.
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