Accountability Requires Identity: AI Agents & the Future of Digital Trust

Accountability Requires Identity: AI Agents & the Future of Digital Trust

Author: Brave Software January 28, 2026 Duration: 26:00

Evin McMullen, co-founder and CEO of Billions Network, explores how identity for agents is going to unlock the next era of the Internet. She shares outcomes from collaborations with regulatory bodies and major companies (like HSBC and TikTok), along with their use of Zero Knowledge Proofs in proving you're human without giving up privacy.

Key Takeaways:

  • How Billions Network plans to save the Internet, starting first with scaling trust (while balancing convenience and privacy)

  • The critical importance of identity verification in an increasingly AI-dominated digital landscape, and the biggest challenges to solving for this

  • The risks for humanity if we don't achieve decentralized identity before AI and agents becomes ubiquitous

Guest Bio:
Evin McMullen is the CEO and co-founder of Billions Network, the first universal human and AI network. Billions Network is pioneering a mobile-first identity layer that verifies both humans and AI agents—proving uniqueness, KYC/AML status, location, age, or even machine reputation, all while preserving user privacy. Evin's previous work includes early blockchain development for retail and enterprise, and serving as CEO and founder of the verifiable data platform Disco.xy. She is a cofounder of DAO Jones and inkDAO, and an advisor to Boys Club. She is a graduate of Yale University.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte

 


Hosted by Brave Software, The Brave Technologist is a series for anyone curious about the real human impact of our digital evolution. It moves past the surface-level buzzwords to ask how technologies like AI, machine learning, and Web3 actually affect everyday decisions, privacy, and the fabric of society. The conversations here are grounded and thoughtful, prioritizing the user's perspective in a landscape often dominated by abstract visions of disruption. You'll hear from builders, thinkers, and technologists who are shaping these tools, discussing not just what is possible, but what is responsible and meaningful. This podcast sits at the intersection of technology, business, and marketing, examining how these forces converge to shape our collective future. It’s for listeners who want to understand the "why" and "for whom" behind the code, offering a nuanced take that is often missing from tech commentary. Tune in for a deeper, more inclusive dialogue about the systems that are redesigning our world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Brave Technologist
Podcast Episodes
Creating Inclusive and Responsible AI for the World of Tomorrow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:07
What if the future of work could be reshaped by artificial intelligence in ways that empower rather than displace? In this episode Didem Un Ates, founder & CEO of LotusAI Ltd, discusses strategies for organizations to in…
Permanent Internet: Buy Once, Store Forever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:36
Phil Mataras—CEO at Permanent Data Solutions—discusses Arweave's innovative "pay once, store forever" model and its potential to revolutionize various industries, from content creation to healthcare, by offering permanen…
AI and Neuroscience: Global Impacts & Redefining Humanity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:24
Benjamin B. Bargetzi, CEO of Bargetzi & Company Group, discusses how cultural and regulatory differences influence AI innovation and adoption across China, Europe, India, and the US. He also explores AI's role in transfo…
Revolutionizing Payments: Perspectives from Brazil to the US [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:54
Elton Chang, Investor at Propel, discusses how Brazil is setting the standard for real-time payment systems with PIX, and why Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and stablecoins have the ability to revolutionize fina…
Data Regulation & GDPR During COVID-19 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:04
Christian D'Cunha, Head of the Cyber Coordination Task Force at the European Commission, discusses the critical role of GDPR during the pandemic, and explores how Europe balanced the necessity of contact tracing and mobi…
Why Blockchain Transparency Is Changing the Future of Exchanges [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:35
Bartosz Lipiński, CEO at Cube.Exchange, discusses how they're approaching the exchange model more transparently in the wake of FTX and other opaque exchange issues. We'll explore how Cube.Exchange is redefining blockchai…
How Mistral AI Strikes the Balance Between Openness and Profitability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:33
Sophia Yang, Head of Developer Relations at Mistral AI, discusses why they don't open source everything, and how they strike a balance between openness and growing their business. She also discusses how Mistral AI approa…
The Principal-Agent Problem: Can Big Tech Ever Truly Put Users First? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:02
Can Big Tech ever truly put users first? In this solo episode, join Luke Mulks, VP of Business Operations at Brave Software, as he dissects the so-called Principal-Agent Problem: the ubiquitous issue where the priorities…
The Future of Crypto in India and its Blockchain Revolution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:45
Rahul Pagidipati, CEO of ZebPay, discusses how India's regulatory environment and technological advancements are paving the way for blockchain's integration into various sectors. From meme coins to top-tier cryptocurrenc…