That UL safety logo is a lot more complicated than it looks | Decoder
Jennifer Scanlon is CEO of UL Solutions, one of those hidden-in-plain-sight companies we like to poke at here on Decoder. UL's been around for more than 100 years; it started as a way for insurance companies to standardize fire and safety testing as electricity was the new technology spreading into homes. But now it's everywhere, and "safety" in tech doesn't just mean the hardware. UL is adapting quickly to the connected, AI-powered era... but do the companies making and distributing tech even care about standards anymore? 0:00 – Intro / Teaser 0:48 – Welcome to Decoder 1:07 – Background on UL / What UL Does 2:28 – Interview Begins: Jennifer Scanlon Introduction 3:19 – UL's Testing Labs (What Gets Tested) 5:59 – History of UL / Origins in Electrical Safety 7:15 – New Technologies: AI Safety & UL 3115 14:54 – Authority & Incentives to Adopt UL Standards 16:50 – UL's Corporate Structure (Nonprofit vs. For-Profit) 23:59 - Safety & Alignment in AI 27:38 - How Jennifer Makes Decisions 28:55 - Why AI Companies Should Comply With Regulation 31:03 - How UL3115 Works 37:22 - Who Provides The Most Pressure To Make AI Safe? 39:33 - AI Data Centers & UL Standards 41:15 - Flood of Cheap Battery Products on Amazon 45:23 - UL's Relationship with China 51:54 - Why Participate In A Safety Program? 53:59 – Selling Safety: Do AI Companies Care? 56:12 – What's Next for UL Follow Decoder on TikTok: @decoderpod Follow Decoder on Instagram: @decoderpod Subscribe: http://goo.gl/G5RXGs Like The Verge on Facebook: https://goo.gl/2P1aGc Follow on Twitter: https://goo.gl/XTWX61 Follow on Instagram: https://goo.gl/7ZeLvX Follow on TikTok: http://bit.ly/42VeCVU Watch The Vergecast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/40RFRkg The Vergecast Podcast: https://bit.ly/3WQDexZ Decoder with Nilay Patel: http://apple.co/3v29nDc More about our podcasts: https://www.theverge.com/podcasts Read More: http://www.theverge.com Community guidelines: http://bit.ly/2D0hlAv Wallpapers from The Verge: https://bit.ly/2xQXYJr Shop our Verge merch store here: https://bit.ly/4kPCmEc
