Global Technology Governance Summit

An urgent need for public-private collaboration 

The world is experiencing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in which data has arguably become the world's most valuable resource. In this context, technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, drones, gene editing and the internet of things could lift communities out of poverty, cure diseases and restore balance to our oceans and natural ecosystems. Or, they could exacerbate economic inequality, job displacement, environmental degradation, and societal tensions. Public-private collaboration is key to making the right choices for future generations.

Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution 

The World Economic Forum launched the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) Global Network to shape the development and application of emerging technologies for the benefit of humanity. Over the past two years, the Network has developed and implemented innovative policy frameworks and governance protocols with more than 30 government partners,150 companies and other leading institutions through its offices in the United States, China, India, and Japan. It has also launched affiliate centres in Colombia, Israel and the United Arab Emirates with new affiliates in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia coming on board in 2020.

The Global Technology Governance Summit will convene these key stakeholders from industry, government, technology, civil society, and academia to drive cross-sector action on the most pressing technology challenges of our time.

The inaugural Global Technology Governance Summit will enable participants to:

- Contribute to new policies and protocols on emerging technologies

- Engage with peers to learn about vanguard approaches to technology governance

- Catalyse and scale coalitions and initiatives to drive responsible innovation

- Anticipate the risks and opportunities of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies