The AI Governance programme addresses the critical challenges posed by emerging technologies and their impact on global governance. We provide valuable foresight, training, expert workshops and actionable policy recommendations to navigate the complex landscape of AI in the context of global governance and corporate strategy.
Our priorities:
Governance, Regulation, and Innovation, where we explore evolving AI regulatory frameworks and international legal regimes to examine their impact on AI innovation, deployment, and cross-border cooperation.
Global Security and Geopolitics, where we investigate the implications of AI on international and economic security, including cyber threats, military applications, export controls and international cooperation in critical technology.
Human Rights and Sustainable Development, where we address the balance between AI-driven surveillance and privacy, the safeguarding of individual rights in digital environments, growing global inequalities, and the need for sustainable growth models.
Foresight Analysis, where we anticipate future trends, risks, and opportunities related to the medium and long-term impact of emerging technologies, enabling informed decision-making and strategic planning across the private and public sector.
Our services:
Across the four key research priorities, we are committed to delivering high-quality research through analyses, commentaries, policy briefs, and annual reports, as well as to fostering meaningful dialogue through conferences, trainings, and workshops.
Age of AI Podcast
The AI Governance Programme’s flagship "Age of AI" podcast, an established platform for discussions with leading practitioners, scholars, and thinkers working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and politics, law, and society, provides listeners with insight into the latest research and developments.
AI Trainings
Our suite of training programs on AI Global Governance, Global Sustainable Development, and Global Security, offers solutions for practitioners and researchers confronting a rapidly changing technological landscape.
We can also offer tailor-made programming that can be delivered onsite. Please reach out to education@globalgovernance.eu to find out more.
For more information, please contact:
Medlir Mema Ph.D
Head of Programme
Email: m.mema@globalgovernance.eu
Team
Publications
Commentary
AI and Global Governance
AI's Fast-Forward Button: Can We Harness Innovation Without Sacrificing Safety?
In 2025, global AI innovation is like a button pressed and stuck on fast forward. As much as those within academia, R&D, PhD labs, and think tanks desire to hit pause, stopping is no longer an option.
Report
AI and Global Governance
Towards a Global Agency for Governing Artificial General Intelligence: Challenges and Perspectives
This report examines the potential benefits and challenges of an Open Agency Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) governed by a Global AGI Agency. It reviews AGI governance models, proposes a Global AGI Agency with structured transparency and democratic accountability, and identifies ten key challenges, including international collaboration, power centralization, and governance complexity. It concludes by emphasizing the critical need for effective AGI governance.
Briefing
AI and Global Governance
UN Summit of the Future and Development: The Way Forward
The UN Summit of the Future calls for bold cooperation on climate, digital equity, and responsible AI, urging unified action to harness technology for good and revive the Sustainable Development Goals. Now, governments, businesses, and civil society must turn these ambitions into results.
Commentary
AI and Global Governance
UN Summit of the Future: A Critical Moment for Global AI Governance
The UN Summit of the Future in September 2024 aims to adopt the Pact for the Future, addressing global governance challenges. Priorities include creating international AI governance frameworks emphasizing ethics, transparency, and equity while fostering collaboration to mitigate risks, reduce inequalities, and leverage AI for sustainable development and the SDGs.
Commentary
AI and Global Governance
Deepening EU-Japan-US Cooperation on Critical and Emerging Technologies
The EU, US, and Japan are enhancing cooperation to boost competitiveness in critical technologies and secure resilient supply chains, focusing on reducing reliance on China, diversifying resources, and fostering innovation amid global economic security challenges.
Briefing
AI and Global Governance
The EU AI Act: two steps forward, one step back
The EU AI Act, approved in March 2024, introduces a risk-based regulatory framework to balance AI innovation and fundamental rights protection. While it promotes transparency and accountability, concerns persist about national security exceptions and potential surveillance risks, shaping the future of AI governance.
Commentary
AI and Global Governance
The Council of Europe’s draft AI Treaty: balancing national security, innovation and human rights?
The Council of Europe’s draft Framework Convention on AI aims to set global standards for AI that align with human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. However, compromises over private companies' regulation and national security exemptions may weaken its effectiveness in protecting individuals from AI's risks.
Commentary
AI and Global Governance
What developments in AI tell us about the future of governance models
Misinformation and disinformation, amplified by AI, pose major challenges for democracy. As AI increases information production, it can enhance collective intelligence but also contribute to polarization. To combat this, institutions must regain trust through transparency and openness, adapting to new models of governance.
Commentary
AI and Global Governance
How Ukraine uses AI to fight Russian information operations
Ukraine has leveraged AI in its information war against Russia, using tools like Osavul and Mantis Analytics to detect and counter disinformation quickly. AI-supported open-source intelligence (OSINT) helps debunk Russian claims and document war crimes. However, controversial uses, like facial recognition software and AI-generated images, raise ethical concerns.
Commentary
AI and Global Governance
Got trust? Global governance of emerging technologies
Emerging technologies, particularly AI and quantum tech, present both opportunities and risks. The U.S. and NATO have emphasized balancing innovation with regulation to maintain competitiveness and address societal challenges. However, these technologies also create vulnerabilities, such as AI-driven disinformation, requiring new frameworks for global cooperation and governance.
Commentary
AI and Global Governance
Last minute national objections to the EU’s AI Act are a mistake. Here’s why
The EU's AI Act faced delays after France and Germany opposed regulating general-purpose AI models like GPT-4, fearing overregulation could harm Europe's AI competitiveness. Despite challenges, the EU must prioritize digital rights and proactive regulation to address AI risks, aiming for a balance between innovation and accountability.
S11E1: What’s New in the World of AI?
Adalberto Gonzalez, AI Strategic Advisor for Design Thinking Japan, joins Chris for a conversation on his pioneering work on GenAI for Accenture in North America. We discuss his more recent work with Design Thinking Japan and his AI Signal’s comprehensive report that tells us where breakthroughs in AI will have the greatest impact. Plus, what worries him most and what excites him most about these developments.
S10E8: Is a Global AGI Agency Possible?
As Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) moves closer to reality, the world faces a crucial question: Who—if anyone—should govern it? In this episode of Age of AI, host Medlir Mema sits down with governance expert Justin Bullock to explore the challenges of regulating AGI at a global scale. Could a Global AGI Agency provide the oversight we need, or is international cooperation on AI doomed to fail? From the risks of unchecked AGI development to the hurdles of enforcing global AI policy, this conversation unpacks the future of AI governance and the stakes for humanity.
S10E7: AI, Power, and Politics: Can Global Governance Keep Up?
In this episode of Age of AI, host Medlir Mema sits down with Caryn Lusinchi—AI auditor, policy advisor, and former AI leader at Meta and Google—to explore the tensions between innovation and regulation. Can international AI governance truly work, or are we heading toward fragmented, sovereign AI ecosystems? Join us as we discuss the EU AI Act, the Paris AI Action Summit, the rise of national AI programs, and the future of AI regulation in an era of accelerating change.
S10E6: AI for Democracy: Can Algorithms Save Civic Engagement
In this episode, David Mas, Chief AI Officer at Make.org, and Medlir explore how AI can strengthen democratic participation and institutional transparency. They discuss the ambitious AI for Democracy Democratic Commons initiative, consider how AI can help counter the erosion of democratic legitimacy, and examine how democracies can respond to weaponization of AI by authoritarian regimes.
S10E5: How Large Language Models are Revolutionizing Healthcare
Medlir is joined by Dr. Nafiseh (Cati) Molaei, a Postdoctoral Scholar specializing in Biomedical Data Science at Northwestern University to discuss how AI is reshaping the medical landscape. From diagnosing complex diseases to personalizing treatment plans, AI is driving innovations that were once thought impossible.
S10E4: The AI Risk Debate - Hype or Existential Threat?
Today we dive into the evolving conversation on AI risk and governance. Our guests, Torben Swoboda and Risto Uuk, discuss the challenges of defining AI risk, the debate over acceptable thresholds, and common critiques of the existential risk perspective. We also examine the feasibility of global AI governance and historical parallels that may guide our path forward.
S10E3: How to Make Sense of DeepSeek with Ritwik Gupta
In this episode Ritwik Gupta of the Berkeley AI Research Lab returns to talk with Chris about what DeepSeek really means for the AI Industry, Trump’s recent Stargate AI initiative, US-China AI competition, policy responses to DeepSeek, and where we should be looking for the next big disruptive event in the world of AI.
S10E2: AI and Environmental Sustainability in the Trump 2.0 Era
In this episode we’re joined by Jeremy Tamanini, founder of Dual Citizen LLC, to explore the intersection of AI and environmental sustainability during the Trump 2.0 era. From the environmental impacts of AI infrastructure, to innovative practices and emerging legislation, this conversation dives deep into how AI can be both a challenge and a tool for sustainability.
