AI Power, Politics and Compute: Charting Policy Pathways for a Fragmented World
Join us for an evening of discussion on the geopolitical contest over AI compute, chips, infrastructure, and digital sovereignty — and what it means for Europe’s policy choices. Bringing together experts in compute governance, AI safety, public administration, and technology policy, we will explore the power structures shaping AI in an increasingly fragmented world. As access to advanced compute becomes central to economic competitiveness, national security, and technological autonomy, policymakers face difficult questions about regulation, investment, international coordination, and state capacity. What pathways are available to Europe, and how can public policy respond to a rapidly changing global AI landscape?
🎤 Our speakers:
Lennart Heim — Director of AI Resources at the OpenAI Foundation. Previously at RAND, GovAI, and Epoch AI, he specialises in compute governance and forecasting AI progress. He led the Compute Team at RAND’s Center on AI, Security, and Technology, and advises on chip-export and compute policy.
Philip Fox — European AI Policy Lead at the KIRA Center in Berlin and Core Writer of the 2025 and 2026 International AI Safety Report. He is also a co-author of Europe 2031, the widely discussed scenario exploring Europe’s AI trajectory.
Felix Sieker — Project Manager for reframe[Tech] at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, where he focuses on AI policy and investment in AI infrastructure. He completed his PhD at the Hertie School on the role of platform companies in the digital transformation of work.
Gerhard Hammerschmid — Professor of Public and Financial Management at the Hertie School and founding Director of its Centre for Digital Governance. His work focuses on public-sector reform, government capacity, and the digitalisation of public administration.
Marielle Düh — Moderator and speaker. PhD candidate at the Hertie School’s Centre for Digital Governance and Research Fellow at WZB. Her research examines how China and the European Union pursue digital sovereignty in AI.
⏰ Schedule
18:00 - 18:30: Doors open & check-in. Drinks and snacks provided.
18:30 - 19:30: Panel discussion begins.
19:30 - 20:00: Q/A with the audience.
20:00 - 20:30: Informal Networking.
‼️ Entry to the event requires a ticket ‼️
Who should attend: Policymakers, researchers, technologists, students, civil-society practitioners, and anyone interested in AI governance, digital sovereignty, and the future of Europe’s technological capacity.