Clara Tsao is a technology policy and trust and safety specialist with experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She is a founding officer of the Filecoin Foundation and a co-founder of the Trust & Safety Professional Association. ^[1]

Education

Tsao earned a Bachelor of Science and Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Master of Business Administration from Imperial College London. She has also attended programs at Stanford University, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Cambridge. ^[2]

Career

Tsao began her career in 2006 at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency before holding marketing roles at Apple and Hewlett-Packard. From 2012 to 2013, she worked in technical evangelism and operations for AT&T’s Mobile Developer Program. Following this, she transitioned into civic technology and policy, co-founding the U.S. Congressional App Challenge and serving as its executive director. During this period, she also directed the Congressional Internet Caucus Academy, co-organized the civic hacking initiative Hack for LA, and was a Google Technology Policy Fellow. Between 2014 and 2018, Tsao worked at Microsoft, where she led public-sector partnerships and directed the nonprofit organization Design for a Better Future. ^[3]

From 2016 to 2019, Tsao served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence with the White House Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF), a program that brings technology and design leaders into the federal government. While there, she co-founded the Digital Acquisition Accelerator, an initiative to improve technology procurement within government agencies. She also served as Chief Technology Officer at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where she advised task forces on countering violent extremism and foreign influence. Her work in the federal government later included collaboration with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Tsao maintained her connection to the PIF program by serving as president and board chair of the Presidential Innovation Fellows Foundation until 2022. During this time, she also became a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers network. ^[3]

Since 2019, Tsao's work has increasingly focused on trust and safety, digital governance, and decentralized technology. She became a Mozilla Tech Policy Fellow and co-founded the Trust & Safety Professional Association, an organization dedicated to supporting professionals who work to secure online platforms. In 2020, she became a founding officer of the Filecoin Foundation, where she oversees its core operations as well as its sister organization, the Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web. In addition to these roles, she holds non-resident fellowships at the German Marshall Fund and the Atlantic Council. She also serves as an advisor to the organization Tech Against Terrorism, the UK Prime Minister’s No.10 Innovation Fellowship Programme, and as co-chair of the Conference for Truth and Trust Online. ^[3]

Views and Commentary

Through public interviews, presentations, and panel discussions, Tsao has articulated her views on decentralization, data integrity, artificial intelligence, and the future of digital infrastructure.

On Decentralization and Data Ownership

In an April 2025 interview, Tsao stated that a long-standing goal of her career has been to use technology to democratize knowledge and address social inequality. She expressed concern over the monopolistic control that a few large technology companies exercise over user data, advocating for a decentralized web that empowers individuals by giving them direct ownership of their information. Tsao cited her experience working in Myanmar's emerging internet landscape as a pivotal moment that highlighted the significant responsibility technology companies have in shaping public discourse and access to information. She believes that blockchain technology has applications that extend far beyond cryptocurrency, with the potential to enhance cybersecurity and better serve underrepresented communities. While acknowledging the challenges posed by entrenched centralized systems, she remains optimistic about the potential of decentralized technologies to create a more equitable digital environment. ^[4]

On AI and Decentralized Storage

Tsao has frequently argued that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence makes robust data governance more critical. In public appearances, she has warned that relying on centralized cloud systems for AI development concentrates power, increases the risk of censorship, and creates an opaque environment where it is difficult to track how data is used or altered. As an alternative, she proposes decentralized storage networks, such as Filecoin, which are anchored by cryptographic proofs and distributed nodes. She argues this model improves trust, auditability, and resilience for AI data pipelines. ^[5]

During a presentation at ETHDenver in March 2024, Tsao elaborated on this view, highlighting Filecoin's global network of over 3,300 storage providers. She described data as the "fuel" for AI and emphasized that decentralized storage offers advantages in cost-effectiveness and resilience against single points of failure. She also explained how such infrastructure can help verify the provenance of media to combat misinformation, support journalism, and ensure legal accountability. Furthermore, Tsao suggested that a decentralized network of storage and computing resources could help mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities in hardware that currently affect the technology industry. ^[6]

On DePIN and Enterprise Adoption

Tsao views Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) as a transformative technology with the potential to address social inequality. In a May 2025 interview, she explained that decentralized storage can eliminate data silos and resist censorship, thereby enhancing societal knowledge and access to information. She noted that DePIN models are often more resilient and cost-efficient than their centralized counterparts. This has led to growing interest from traditional enterprises, which are increasingly concerned with security vulnerabilities and regulatory pressures related to data privacy. Tsao also discussed the convergence of AI and DePIN, stating that it can foster greater transparency and accountability in how data is used. She has expressed optimism about the evolving regulatory landscape, observing that policymakers are developing a more nuanced understanding of decentralized technologies. ^{[7] [8]}

On On-Chain AI Agents

During a panel discussion at TOKEN2049 in October 2025, Tsao and other experts explored the implications of using AI agents as on-chain decision-makers. The conversation contrasted the potential for AI to make more rational, data-driven decisions with the inherent biases of human decision-making. The panelists, including Tsao, highlighted the critical need for trusted data sources to build effective and reliable AI systems. They also raised concerns about the risks of embedding human biases into AI algorithms and the challenges of ensuring transparency and accountability, particularly in financial contexts. The panel concluded that while the technology holds promise, significant development and a deeper understanding are required before AI can be fully trusted in high-stakes, on-chain environments. ^[9]