Regional Dynamics, and the Role of the Private Sector.
The Global TechnoPolitics Forum hosted a thought-provoking roundtable on October 15, 2024, exploring the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) through the lens of geopolitics, innovation, and governance. Moderated by Pari Esfandiari, the session brought together distinguished panelists, including Naufal Suryanto, Jo-Fan Yu, and Steve Park, who examined regional dynamics, particularly in East Asia and South Korea. The panel delved into AI’s potential as both a transformative economic driver and a strategic asset reshaping global power structures, highlighting the unique roles of the U.S., China, and Europe in setting AI governance models. South Korea’s ambitious goal of becoming a top AI power by 2030, bolstered by its public-private partnerships and cutting-edge 5G infrastructure, emerged as a key focal point.
Panelists discussed pressing issues such as ethical challenges, security concerns, and regional competition in AI development. They emphasized the critical need for robust governance frameworks to balance innovation with privacy, security, and equity. The conversation underscored the private sector’s pivotal role in advancing AI, with firms like Samsung, Hyundai, and Naver driving innovation across diverse sectors, including healthcare, defense, and manufacturing. Despite the growing geopolitical tensions and fragmented global collaborations, the panel concluded on a hopeful note by GRPF’s chair, Gregory Treverton, who advocated for sustained dialogue and cooperative approaches to shape AI’s future responsibly and inclusively.
Watch the program here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5ouMgnAG8k&t=4s
AGENDA
Opening Remarks – Pari Esfandiari (5 minutes): Highlighting how AI is reshaping power dynamics, influencing economic leadership, and presenting new ethical challenges that require both global and regional cooperation. Introduction of the panelists and overview of the session’s flow.
Panel Interventions (21 minutes)
- Naufal Suryanto (7 minutes): Presentation on the evolution of AI and ChatGPT, highlighting the transformative impact of AI adoption and its role in shaping the future.
- Jo-Fan Yu (7 minutes): Insights on AI governance, legal frameworks, and the regional geopolitical landscape. Discussion of Taiwan’s approach to AI policy and what lessons can be learned from Taiwan’s experiences.
- Steve Park (7 minutes): Discuss the intersection of AI and policy in South Korea and the broader APAC region. What are the challenges and opportunities of implementing AI-friendly policies in Korea? How can South Korea (and the region at large) balance innovation with public interest, privacy, and ethical standards? .
- Closing Remarks by Panelists (5 minutes): Each panelist will provide brief closing thoughts on the future of AI, emphasizing key takeaways, challenges ahead, and strategic recommendations for stakeholders.
- Final Reflections – Gregory F Treverton (6 minutes): Professor Treverton will summarize the panel discussion, highlighting the critical points raised and the importance of continued collaboration in AI governance, innovation, and ethical considerations.
HOST
Gregory Treverton is the Chairman and co-founder of the Global TechnoPolitics Forum and previously served as Chairman of the U.S. National Intelligence Council under the Obama administration. He is currently a senior adviser with the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and a professor of international relations and spatial sciences at the University of Southern California. Additionally, he is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and deputy director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
Treverton’s distinguished career includes serving on the first Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, directing the RAND Corporation’s Center for Global Risk and Security, and teaching at Harvard and Columbia universities. He holds an AB summa cum laude from Princeton University, as well as an MPP and a PhD in economics and politics from Harvard University.
MODERATOR
Pari Esfandiari is president and co-founder at the Global TechnoPolitics Forum. She is a member of the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) – Euralo at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). She serves at the APCO Worldwide’s International Advisory Council. She is also the founder and CEO at the Pario Consultants, an international technology investment and incubating company. Previously, she was a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Esfandiari has a doctorate from Oxford Brookes University in the sustainability business and is an avid environmentalist.
SPEAKERS:
Naufal Suryanto is a Postdoctoral Researcher specializing in AI Security at Pusan National University. His research focuses on AI robustness, adversarial machine learning, and industrial AI applications, with a strong emphasis on computer vision and cybersecurity. Naufal has been recognized as a first author and Outstanding Reviewer at prestigious conferences such as ICCV and CVPR. His work spans developing Generative AI for cybersecurity applications and proposing cutting-edge adversarial attack defense systems.
He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering and is an active contributor to advancements in AI and cybersecurity.
Jo-Fan Yu is a public policy advocate and an experienced lawyer with a demonstrated history of working in the internet industry and international law firm. She has extensive experience, especially in data protection, consumer protection, content regulation, antitrust, telco regulation, cybercrimes, and IP-related issues. Jo-Fan also regularly advises the government on internet-related issues. She is currently the Managing Director and CEO of Taiwan Network Information Center.
Experiences: Executive Director, TWIGF. Supervisor, TWNIC. Supervisor, AmCham Taiwan. Chairwoman, IP and Innovation Commission of Taipei Bar Association. Partner, Baker McKenzie. Head of Public Policy and Government Relation, TW and HK, Google. Prosecutor, Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, Kaohsiung Prosecutor’s Office, and New Taipei Prosecutor’s Office.
Steve Park is the Head of Asia-Pacific Public Policy at Roblox and the author of The Great Illusion, The Right Future: Tech Myths and Truths from AI to Robots. He also serves as a policy advisor to the Korean government on national security and digital affairs. Park also served as the Digital Party Chair of the ruling People Power Party. Prior to his current roles, he was the Director of Public Policy at Meta for Korea and Japan.
Park holds a B.A. in international relations and an M.A. in government from Johns Hopkins University.
