Panel: In the Search for Global Technology Governance: New Horizons and Risks

Rapid technological developments have profund impacts on our democracies, security, and economy. Governments together with private sector, academia, and civil society all over the globe are seeking for ways to channel these technological changes for a competitive economic edge and innovation, while managing national and international security, and preserving human rights and the rule of law.

Conceptualising what “good” technology governance should look like is a  topic of increasing national, regional as well as global interest. Several principles on data governance and data security have been agreed upon. At the UN level, Global Digital Compact process is half-way through, aiming to reach a global agreement on common principles for digital cooperation, and arguably beyond. Several regulations have merged, largely from the European Union. Competing internet governace models have been proposed alongside with global AI, space, quantum etc governance models. Malicious cyber attacks have been addressed through cyber governance and strategies.

This session focuses on global technology governance, discussing different governance (cyber, internet, data and AI etc) We look at government and industry responses as well as societies at large.

The session seeks to find answers to the following questions:

1. What does ‘good’ global technology governance look like to governments, industry and the public?
2. What are the greatest risks and opportunities stemming from regulating technological developments from industry and government perspective?
3. What measures do we want in place to ensure the effective implementation of global AI policy that is for the greater good?
4. How can the work at UN and other forums on cyber security be taken further?
5. How to strengthen the current multi-stakeholder internet governance model and the related processes (IGF, IGF+, WSIS)?
6. What could be the implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for the ongoing UN Global Digital Compact and what chould we expect content-wise?

The panel is moderated by Nele Leosk.