RTD EXCLUSIVE: Chopra discusses new job as Obama's technology chief

Aneesh Paul Chopra

What role will technology play in the economy over the next few years?

Right now, there are so many sectors of our economy that have not been considered technology-savvy or tech-rich, where we have a set of operations that are proprietary, closed, in many cases old, and need upgrading. Most all of those industries are going to be migrating to a digital platform.

If you thought about the big capital investments that are going to be made in our nation's economy -- whether it be government investment or private investment -- the more we can embed intelligence that can spin off data, the more we could consume them and build new products and services.

The iPhone App Store is the analogy to think in your mind. Imagine an App Store in almost every major sector of our public economy. (The App Store is a service that allows iPhone and iPod Touch users to download applications ranging from games to budgeting tools.) That's the vision where I think we're going, and I see the role of the public sector in helping to find ways where we can nurture and cultivate that kind of innovation.

How will the way we use science and technology change our lives?

Let's take energy for a moment. Someone is going to build a device that will allow you in your home to know exactly when you should dial up or down your thermostat. You're going to see the same thing in our transportation infrastructure. You're going to see more intelligence built into the road so when you're driving, you'll have the technology to inform you how to avoid the congested roadway.

When it comes to security, what can the average person do to protect themselves from some of the threats while taking advantage of some of the technology that's out there?

A great deal of our risk is social engineering. What do you do on your thumbdrive? What you download? What do you forward to your home computer? When you're getting work done, what do you do with respect to the Internet that maybe you should be doing in a secure way? How often do you change your password?

One of the biggest components of the president's recommendation on cyber security is a national education campaign around how to protect yourself.

Should people fear technology? Embrace it? Respect it?

We want the American people to have whatever view they have -- I don't wish to change their view. If you are concerned about putting your health records on the Internet, bless you. I'm not here to suggest that you should. My job is to take the world as it is and to build as much security and innovation into that mix as possible.

What can we expect in terms of knowing more about what our government is doing?

Accountability is an important pillar; the second pillar is about economic growth. Today accountability means, 'Tell me what you're doing from a memo standpoint.' But tomorrow, it might mean, 'How long does it take me to fill out a Medicaid application for enrollment?' If we had more of that information, we would change the way our taxpayers think about performance excellence in government.

The fact that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation makes public a data feed of traffic information means an entrepreneur can grab that information . . . and provide a service for which somebody would pay money. Information, when made available in a thoughtful way, can be mashed up with other information and lead to economic value.

Have you every experienced a tech threat?

Oh sure. My wife. While we were preparing a report to the governor on all the things we wanted to do to protect [against identity theft and data breach], we got a phone call from the credit-card company which said, 'Just so you know, someone used your wife's Social Security number to open up a cell phone account in Maryland.'

I learned a couple of things in that process. It's very scary, because you immediately ask, 'Where did this person get my ID?' . . . The other thing is I really didn't know where to turn. We need to simplify the communication path . . . to develop a one-stop-shop portal.

Is there a Web site or resource for people who might want to know more about what your office does?

Go to www.whitehouse.gov/open and you'll see our entire open government initiative. Soon I'll be blogging about the priorities I've just outlined for you.

Is the president a tech geek?

Yes, he is. He was addicted to his BlackBerry. A special BlackBerry had to be provisioned for the president. He is personally very interested in this subject. He always asks questions around where does technology and innovation play. He's a lot of fun, and I'm excited and honored to be a part of the team.

What is your favorite gadget? Is there any you can't live without?

My iPhone. This device has changed my life. It's a device I love for my personal playlist, my music, but I very much love for the ability to learn and the applications that are coming to make my life a little easier.

What is your low-tech pursuit?

My wife and I have two young daughters. I enjoy daddy-daughter day.

Do they have iPhones, too?

No, but every time my wife and I want to talk about a milestone, we e-mail our daughter's account and say, 'Hey, today this happened in your life.' So we're going to give them basically an e-mail diary of their life so that they'll have it when they get older.

Contact Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or jnolan@timesdispatch.com.