That UL safety logo is a lot more complicated than it looks

In this episode of Decoder, Nilay Patel sits down with Jennifer Scanlon, CEO of UL Solutions, to unpack the hidden complexity behind the ubiquitous UL safety logo. What appears to be a simple certification mark is, in reality, the product of a century-old organization that has evolved from fire safety testing for early electrical devices into a global leader in product, software, and now AI safety. Scanlon reveals the intense, often explosive testing processes at UL's labs—where lithium-ion batteries are deliberately set ablaze and millions of soda cans are stacked to simulate fire spread—and explains how these tests inform standards that save lives, such as those that reduced e-bike fire deaths in New York City by 75%. The conversation dives into UL's unique three-part structure: the for-profit UL Solutions, the nonprofit UL Standards and Engagement, and the UL Research Institutes, which operate independently but strategically. A major focus is UL's new AI safety standard, UL 3115, which evaluates AI systems not by their code but by the ethical and safety decisions behind their development—data fairness, transparency, privacy, and bias. Despite the tech industry’s resistance and the lack of strong enforcement mechanisms, Scanlon remains optimistic, arguing that market forces, consumer demand, and global regulatory trends will eventually drive adoption. The episode also touches on political interference, such as the FCC’s abrupt removal of UL from the Cybertrust program under Brendan Carr, and the challenges of policing counterfeit certifications on platforms like Amazon. Ultimately, the episode paints UL as a quiet but vital guardian of safety in an age of rapid innovation, where trust is the most valuable currency.