Power, Control Technologies, and Sovereignty in the AI Age

Big Tech companies aren’t just large corporations. They’re political actors and economic planners. And their deep pockets and control over social media and personal data only partially explain their dominance, argues economist Cecilia Rikap, University College London.

Rikap’s talk at BESI will show how big tech’s real power lies in its control over global knowledge production. Already the ruler of cloud computing, big tech can expect to grow its domination of knowledge production as the adoption of artificial intelligence becomes widespread.

What space remains for digital sovereignty? Rikap will explore possibilities and strategies for expanding digital sovereignty - not only as an alternative to Big Tech’s ruling power, but also as an international and democratic strategy aimed at putting technology at the service of people and the planet.