Digital Policy

The increasing digitization of transnational commerce and innovation has raised new concerns about the existing frameworks on issues such as data protection, privacy, freedom of speech, artificial intelligence, taxation, trade, intellectual property, and competition. Digital issues touch much of day-to-day life and have the potential to cause disputes with major consequences, as domestic legislation now has far-reaching international effects. In an era of great power competition, governments are competing to create a model of digitalization that can become the global “gold standard.” The Atlantic Council aims to position itself as a critical facilitator of dialogue for the coordination of common standards for advancement in the digital realm.

Content

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

India’s quest for digital sovereignty

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

Similar to Europe’s “Third Way Approach,” and in order to navigate between the US and the Chinese models, India is also trying to develop a concept of digital sovereignty, all the while mitigating negative externalities of great power competition.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Worries about AI externalities

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

There is no doubt that emerging technologies have gained significant importance over the last couple of years, but a sense of caution is required when it comes to the hype surrounding AI. Technologies have so far remained a tool and their applications won’t be solving all of humanity’s problems anytime soon.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Technology for good

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

By focusing on healthcare, food security and agriculture, education, or infrastructure, global AI competition could be given a very different spin, mitigating the rivalry aspect of politics. How modern technologies should be centered on serving those broader global interests was at the core of the discussions in the roundtable focused on Africa.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

A bipolar world

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

A Bipolar World is where Sino-US competition edges out any possibility of cooperation—not just on data and AI. Countries in Europe and Asia are forced to choose between Washington and Beijing while desperately trying to develop their own digital sovereignty.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

A multilateral resurgence

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

A multilateral resurgence is a world that evolves after significant Sino-US confrontations occur on the scale of the 1963 Cuban Missile Crisis. Post-pandemic, both the United States and China step back from the precipice, realizing that their unrestrained, full-spectrum competition with one another could lead to disaster and mutual destruction.

Africa Americas

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Europe’s hurdles

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

Economists and technologists worried about Europe’s ability to reconcile privacy restrictions with a thriving tech economy. The logic is simple: In order to keep up, companies must be able to train AI systems with accessible data, which is why the EU has become more attuned to the need to facilitate data flows.

China Cybersecurity

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

China’s ambiguity

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

Speaking more broadly, interlocutors in Beijing emphasized that international cooperation has always been important to China’s economic development, alluding to the fact that the most successful innovations and AI advances often come from international research collaborations.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Smart partnerships for global challenges

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

In order to give the global AI competition a different spin and emphasize the “technology for good” approach, it would be wise to highlight organizations that focus on AI applications in healthcare, education, food security and agriculture, or infrastructure endeavors, particularly in a post-Covid-19 recovery.

Africa China

Event Recap

Jan 6, 2021

Event recap | Tech and data recommendations for the new administration

By GeoTech Center

In this episode of the GeoTech Hour, hosted Wednesday, January 6, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EST, panelists make recommendations on how the new administration can prioritize data and tech applications.

Digital Policy Technology & Innovation

Event Recap

Dec 22, 2020

Event recap | Practical steps forward: Improving global efforts to advance digital content safety

By Henry Westerman

On Thursday, December 3, the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center and the World Economic Forum partnered to host a private roundtable under the Chatham House Rule to discuss the possible practical policies for improving digital content safety. The following notes summarize the event's discussion.

Digital Policy

Experts

Events