CYBER & TECH-TALKS
CYBER & TECH-TALKS
Discussion Theme: Digital Sovereignty in the AI Stack
The Techplomacy office of Denmark in collaboration with the Global Network Initiative (GNI), is pleased to invite you to the inaugural event in our new Cyber & Tech-Talks series, bringing together industry, academia, and policymakers to discuss emerging technology issues shaping the transatlantic agenda. All events in the series will be conducted under the Chatham House Rule.
Digital Sovereignty in the AI Stack
The inaugural talk of our Cyber & Tech-talk series includes a free lunch for attendees and will take place on September 30 focussing on digital sovereignty in the AI-stack, through the lense of the European Commission’s Tech Sovereignty Package. The panel discussion will revolve around the question of how sovereignty should be understood in this context, the extent to which ownership and control of critical technologies is needed to achieve it, and whether and how diversification, resilience, and trusted partnerships can be combined to achieve strategic autonomy.
The discussion will mainly focus on two layers of the AI stack:
Chips and compute: Europe’s position in the semiconductor value chain, including Europe’s strong position in advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment and the implications of growing foreign capabilities.
Cloud and infrastructure: The challenges and opportunities of relying on foreign cloud infrastructure, including questions of data access, jurisdiction, and what genuinely sovereign digital infrastructure requires.
The panel will bring together perspectives from the technology industry, academia, and EU governments to explore where Europe should seek greater technological capabilities, where strategic dependencies may be acceptable, and how Europe can preserve meaningful choice and agency in an increasingly interconnected AI ecosystem.
Panellists:
Moderator: Executive director at Global Network Initiative, Jason Pielemeier
Co-founder of Stanford’s Global Digital Policy Incubator, Eileen Donahoe
Office of the European Union in San Francisco, Deputy Head and Counsellor for Digital, Joanna Smolinska
Amazon Web Services, Principal for Global AI Policy, Jamie Lim
Google Cloud, Government Affairs & Public Policy, Chris Hopfensberger
Ericcson, VP Head of AI Innovation & Incubation, Elena Fersman
Date: September 30
Location: San Francisco. Venue to be confirmed.
Program
10:30-11:00 – Doors open, tea and coffee
11.00-11.05 – Welcome by Denmark, launch of Cyber & Tech Talks
11:00–12:00 – Panel discussion
12:00–12:30 – Audience Q&A and key takeaways
12:30–1:00 – Free Lunch & networking