Considerations Regarding Sovereign AI and National AI Policy

The concept of sovereign AI is gaining traction globally as nations seek to develop AI capabilities independent of a few US-based or PRC-based Big Tech companies (FANGMs plus BATs). Sovereign AI initiatives are under way in domiciles (or regional authorities within countries) including Singapore, Japan, Germany, France, the UK, KSA, UAE, India and others. Countries must balance the significant financial and technological investments that may be required with other national priorities. Options for nation-states, supranational federals (e.g., EU) and international alliances (e.g., ASEAN) include building sovereign AI, collaborating regionally, and leveraging open-source initiatives. Sovereign AI will participate in the broader structural shifts that AI is introducing globally, not only to economic and business structures, but in fundamental ways that people interact with each other, with companies, and with governments.

Principal Authors

Professor Aldo Faisal

Professor of AI & Neuroscience

a.faisal@imperial.ac.uk

Professor David Shrier

Professor of Practice, AI & Innovation

david.shrier@imperial.ac.uk

Imperial College London
South Kensington Campus
London
SW7 2AZ
GB

Ayisha Piotti

Head of AI Policy Summit

ayisha.piotti@gess.ethz.ch

ETH Zurich
Center for Law & Economics
IFW Building, E 43.2
8092 Zurich
CH

Professor Alex Pentland

Professor Post Tenure of Media Arts and Sciences

sandy@media.mit.edu

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT Media Lab
77 Mass. Ave., E14/E15
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
US