Green Bay native Katie Harbath, a 23‑year veteran of the crossroads between technology and politics, is preparing to launch her new book, Disrupting Politics, on October 6. The former Republican National Committee staffer and decade‑long Facebook employee draws on her front‑row experience in Washington, D.C., to argue that the nation must confront artificial intelligence with the same urgency it once gave to social media.
From the RNC to Facebook to a consulting firm
Harbath began her career on the campaign trail, working for the Republican National Committee. She later spent ten years at Facebook, where she coordinated the platform’s work on global elections and built teams that helped politicians and governments use the service to reach constituents. After leaving the tech giant, she founded Anchor Change, a consulting agency that advises technology firms and think tanks on the intersection of tech and democracy.
“Holy smokes” moments in D.C.
In her memoir, Harbath recounts a striking encounter with former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, describing how she sat across from a sitting president to explain Facebook’s mechanics and how the platform could be leveraged for public communication. She calls such experiences “holy smokes” moments that revealed the lack of a playbook for navigating the trade‑offs between free speech, safety, and algorithmic influence.
Applying social‑media lessons to AI
Harbath warns that society is repeating the same mistakes it made with social media as it steps into the AI era. “We weren’t thinking enough about the role of algorithms and recommendation systems,” she says. “Now, as we move into AI, there is a lot to talk about regarding safety, but we really need to get down to the nitty‑gritty of our values, what guardrails will look like, and how we involve civil society, academia, and government—not just let companies decide alone.”
She frames her approach as “panic responsibly,” urging public debate about potential pitfalls before they become crises. “I would rather us be talking about where things might go wrong and what those guardrails should be, versus ignoring the issue as we did during the social‑media boom,” Harbath explains.
Local relevance for Wisconsin readers
While Harbath’s career has been national, her roots in Green Bay and her ongoing work with Anchor Change keep her connected to Wisconsin’s tech and civic communities. Her call for inclusive, values‑driven AI policy resonates with local leaders who are grappling with how emerging technologies will affect schools, businesses, and government services across the state.
Readers in Green Bay and beyond can preorder Disrupting Politics now, with the official release slated for October 6. The book promises to equip citizens, policymakers, and tech innovators with the perspective needed to shape AI in a way that safeguards democratic principles and reflects the values of families and faith‑based communities.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
