Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 3: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 4: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 5: Civil Society, African Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 3: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 4: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 5: Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 1: Sanya Smith, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Burcu Kilic, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Nandini Chami, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 4: Helene Bank, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 5: Edgar Odari, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 6: Yudanto Wibowo, Government, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Burcu Kilic, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Nandini Chami, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 4: Helene Bank, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 5: Edgar Odari, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 6: Yudanto Wibowo, Government, Asia-Pacific Group
Format
Classroom
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: We want this workshop to be an interactive discussion, fostering a dynamic and participatory environment. The workshop will encourage open dialogue rather than a traditional panel format, allowing all participants to engage in the conversation, ask questions, and contribute insights. Attendees will collectively explore the evolving intersection of AI, trade, and geopolitics through guided discussion and real-world examples. Our goal is to think critically, exchange perspectives, and discuss strategies for navigating the complex challenges of digital governance, security, and innovation. Since the topics being covered in this workshop are broad, complex and wide-ranging and the speakers have deep expertise, a 90 minute session would enable sufficient time to examine these issues and learn from participants' experiences whether they are online or on-site. This format and duration ensures that every person in the room and attending online is part of the conversation, creating a collaborative space for the attendees.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: We want this workshop to be an interactive discussion, fostering a dynamic and participatory environment. The workshop will encourage open dialogue rather than a traditional panel format, allowing all participants to engage in the conversation, ask questions, and contribute insights. Attendees will collectively explore the evolving intersection of AI, trade, and geopolitics through guided discussion and real-world examples. Our goal is to think critically, exchange perspectives, and discuss strategies for navigating the complex challenges of digital governance, security, and innovation. Since the topics being covered in this workshop are broad, complex and wide-ranging and the speakers have deep expertise, a 90 minute session would enable sufficient time to examine these issues and learn from participants' experiences whether they are online or on-site. This format and duration ensures that every person in the room and attending online is part of the conversation, creating a collaborative space for the attendees.
Policy Question(s)
A. How does AI competition influence global trade and digital cooperation?
B. What role do major technology companies play in shaping trade and AI policy?
C. How does trade policy intersect with technology policy, and how can countries navigate this new dynamic?
What will participants gain from attending this session? This workshop brings together trade, technology, and policy experts from academia, civil society and government from different regions. It examines pathways for balancing trade and tech policy, security concerns, open innovation, and equitable digital development in an era of rapid technological change. Participants will gain increased understanding and insights from diverse perspectives into the geopolitical stakes of AI, the current landscape of trade policies, and strategies for shaping a more resilient, inclusive, and innovative global digital economy. Participants will also be able to learn from each other’s experiences and best practices.
Description:
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has intensified global competition, with nations prioritizing AI leadership to drive economic growth and national security. Trade policy has become a key tool in this competition, with measures such as export controls, tariffs, and digital trade rules increasingly shaping access to critical technologies. At the same time, major technology companies play a growing role in influencing policy, often advocating for minimal regulatory oversight while expanding their market dominance. This workshop will explore how trade and technology policies intersect, impacting digital cooperation, sustainable and responsible innovation, and global economic governance. It will also discuss how countries, particularly the Global Majority countries, can navigate these shifting dynamics to build resilient digital economies, foster inclusive AI development, minimize the risks of algorithmic bias, protect data privacy, maintain the data governance they want and shape digital trade rules prioritizing people and the planet.
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has intensified global competition, with nations prioritizing AI leadership to drive economic growth and national security. Trade policy has become a key tool in this competition, with measures such as export controls, tariffs, and digital trade rules increasingly shaping access to critical technologies. At the same time, major technology companies play a growing role in influencing policy, often advocating for minimal regulatory oversight while expanding their market dominance. This workshop will explore how trade and technology policies intersect, impacting digital cooperation, sustainable and responsible innovation, and global economic governance. It will also discuss how countries, particularly the Global Majority countries, can navigate these shifting dynamics to build resilient digital economies, foster inclusive AI development, minimize the risks of algorithmic bias, protect data privacy, maintain the data governance they want and shape digital trade rules prioritizing people and the planet.
Expected Outcomes
It is expected that participants will develop a better understanding of the issues raised by the policy questions in the current geopolitical context and that the session will start an informed discussion.
Participants may wish to do further research on developments in this field in their own countries and may wish to use the session to feed into relevant processes such as the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 review and High-Level Event 2025 to be held in July 2025 in Geneva.
The speakers expect to learn from participants about related developments in their countries and best practices which they can incorporate into their papers and analyses currently being written on these issues.
Hybrid Format: At the start of the session, a Mentimeter poll will be used to gauge the level of existing understanding amongst those on-site and online.
The online moderator will:
-ensure that online participants can hear and participate without any technical problems.
-monitor and relay any logistics feedback from online participants e.g. if speakers cannot be heard or are speaking too fast etc.
- ensure that online participants will have access to any Powerpoint slides, documents and links to further information that are circulated in the session.
- encourage those online to participate by providing comments, reactions or asking questions.
- ensure that comments/questions from those online are raised in the on-site room by alternating interventions between those on-site and those online.
Speakers will also engage with online attendees interventions through any chat or question and answer facilities provided for those online during the session.