What Socrates and Elevators Teach Crypto About Trust: DEX in the City
Speakers
TuongVy Le
— General Counsel, Veda Tech Labs / ex-SEC / Co-Host, DEX in the City
Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos
— Host, DEX in the City and General Counsel of StarkWare
Summary
The hosts discuss new polls showing deep public fear of AI, historical patterns of technology panics from Socrates to elevators, and why crypto must proactively earn trust to avoid a similar regulatory and reputational backlash from a public that can act as jury, judge, and voter.
- 43% of Americans believe AI could literally end the human race, and nearly half support a full ban on data centers.
- Historical tech panics (writing, bicycles, radio, flying, elevators) all faded once technology became familiar, useful, and subject to credible oversight.
- The public can act as jury, judge, prosecutor, and voter, so industry trust directly affects regulatory and legal outcomes.
- Crypto faces parallel reputational risks and must address security incidents and user losses to reshape its narrative before public backlash hardens.
- AI and crypto are both making a mistake by dismissing fear instead of engaging constructively to build legitimacy.
