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Generative AI is reshaping governance. Quantum computing is redefining security. These technologies are advancing at a pace that challenges even the most agile regulatory systems. While they offer unprecedented opportunities—streamlining public administration, enhancing decision-making, and revolutionizing data security—they also introduce complex dilemmas. Who sets the rules? How do we ensure accountability? And can governance frameworks keep up?

At the Frontier Technologies – Governance Frontiers workshop in Singapore, co-hosted by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), TUM Asia, and the TUM Think Tank, these questions took center stage. Experts from academia, industry, and government came together to discuss the governance frontiers of AI and quantum technology—not as abstract future concerns, but as urgent challenges already shaping policy and society today.

The discussions made one thing clear: governance is not a static framework—it is an evolving process that must adapt to technological change. Different governance models are emerging across the globe, each with distinct implications. The "Brussels Effect" sees stringent EU regulations influencing global standards, setting clear legal boundaries for AI and digital governance. The "Silicon Valley Effect" takes a different approach, prioritizing self-regulation and market-driven innovation. Meanwhile, the "Beijing Effect" represents a state-led model, where centralized oversight plays a dominant role. These paradigms frame the challenge ahead: How do we govern frontier technologies in ways that are effective, ethical, and globally coherent?

Generative AI

When it comes to Generative AI, governments are beginning to integrate AI-driven solutions into public administration, but concerns around bias, accountability, and regulatory fragmentation remain. Singapore’s National AI Strategy, first introduced in 2019 and recently revised, reflects an approach that seeks to balance innovation with safeguards. The AI Verify Toolkit, an open-source platform, has emerged as a key initiative—allowing businesses and regulators to assess AI systems for compliance with ethical and regulatory standards. But is voluntary governance enough? The debate continues between those advocating for industry-led guidelines and those calling for statutory regulation. While Singapore leans toward a hybrid approach—encouraging voluntary adoption with a roadmap for eventual regulation—the EU’s AI Act takes a more prescriptive stance, enforcing strict compliance from the outset.

Beyond regulation, AI also raises questions about digital trust and cultural representation. Large AI models are predominantly trained on Western datasets, risking the marginalization of linguistic and cultural diversity. Singapore is responding by investing in AI projects that preserve dialects and ensure national identity is embedded in AI applications. This signals a broader issue: If AI is shaping the way societies function, who gets to define its values?

Quantum technology

Quantum technology introduces an entirely different governance challenge. While still in its early stages, quantum computing has the potential to disrupt encryption, security, and geopolitical power structures. Singapore’s National Quantum-Safe Network (NQSN) stands as a testbed for quantum encryption, leveraging the country’s centrally managed fiber infrastructure to experiment with quantum-safe communication standards. But governance cannot stop at the national level. The race for quantum supremacy—driven by the US, China, and the EU—raises urgent questions about international cooperation. Should institutions like the United Nations or World Trade Organization play a role in setting quantum governance frameworks? Or will fragmented national strategies dominate, creating regulatory inconsistencies that could impact global security?

As AI and quantum computing continue to evolve, governance must remain proactive, inclusive, and forward-thinking. The workshop underscored the need for cross-regional collaboration and interdisciplinary engagement—ensuring that governance innovation is not just a response to technological change, but an active force in shaping a sustainable, democratic, and equitable future.

We often assume that AI can be trained to be neutral, ethical, and aligned with human values. However, a growing body of research suggests this goal may be impossible, including new findings from the Civic Machines Lab.

At the Participatory AI Research & Practice Symposium (Sciences Po) at the Paris AI Action Summit, the Civic Machines Lab presented research on a fundamental challenge in AI alignment:

The Problem: AI Alignment Overlooks Value Pluralism

AI alignment refers to teaching AI to align with human values—but which values? Society is far from unified, and different demographic groups perceive AI responses differently.
The Civic Machines Lab introduces a new alignment dataset that assesses AI-generated responses across five key dimensions:

Their study, based on 1,095 participants in Germany and the US, revealed stark differences in how people rate AI’s behavior:

What This Means: There May Be No “Perfectly Aligned” AI

These findings challenge the idea that AI alignment is simply a technical issue. If different demographic groups disagree on what AI should be, how do we decide what alignment means in the first place?
At the Paris AI Action Summit, experts debated key governance challenges:

What’s Next?

The conversation on AI alignment is far from over. If AI is trained to align with dominant perspectives, does it risk marginalizing others? Should AI systems aim for majority agreement, inclusive balance, or something else entirely?

Takeaways from the AI Action Summit in Paris

The AI Action Summit in Paris provided a platform for critical discussions on the intersection of AI, governance, and societal impact. The Participatory AI Research & Practice Symposium at Sciences Po focused on critical discussions about AI development and governance, ensuring the inclusion of diverse and underrepresented voices. Key themes included participatory governance, power dynamics, and accountability in AI.

Takeaway: Participatory perspectives on AI can have transformative effects and support underrepresented voices. Nonetheless, there are serious obstacles in actually implementing these perspectives, because they are often overlooked by policy makers & industry.

The AI & Society House event, organized by Humane Intelligence alongside the Paris AI Action Summit, brought together global leaders from civil society, industry, and government. The discussions addressed pressing challenges in AI ethics, safety, and responsible technology. Panels covered topics such as combating online hate, generative AI and gender-based violence, and the role of journalists in evaluating AI's societal impact.

The Inaugural Conference of the International Association for Safe and Ethical AI focused on building consensus about the dangers of AI, short and long term. It brought together experts in AI safety & AI ethics, as well as policy makers and civil society organizations. Formats for collaboration and common actions were discussed.

Takeaway: Although there are many safety considerations around AI - safety was less discussed during the summit by policy makers.

The AI Verify Foundation and MLCommons brought together leading practitioners to explore the future of AI testing, AI assurance & AI safety. They presented the newly launched AI Luminate benchmark. Interesting discussion with compliance companies, NGOs, and safety scientists.

Takeaway: There is an ecosystem that is interested in developing standards and formalising processes towards safer AI.

The Business Day at the AI summit was a venue where startups and big corporations gathered to exchange on innovation. There were companies from all across Europe and the world. Highlight was the talks of Le Cun and Altman, who shared different views about the future of AI.

Takeaway: There is a tension between open/closed source, and who will shape the future of AI and how. Corporate and geopolitical incentives are increasingly influencing decisions on innovations and growth.

AI Act Main day: France and Europe announced increased funding and focus on AI. There was also a launch of a big AI public infrastructure initiative. Academics, AI Experts, Corporations and Civil Society exchanged on a various range of topics.

Takeaway: Europe tries to catch up with other economies. Less focus was given to safety and more to try to become relevant in market and geopolitical terms

These events emphasized the importance of inclusive, ethical, and responsible AI practices, providing a platform for meaningful contributions and engagement with a diverse community.

Apply here

Are you passionate about storytelling through visuals and text? Do you enjoy creating high-quality social media content, filming and editing videos, and capturing compelling moments through photography? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

The TUM Think Tank at the Hochschule für Politik München is looking for a Student Assistant (m/f/d) Content Creation to support our projects and labs with engaging content for social media, our website, and other communication channels.

What You Will Be Doing:

What We Are Looking For:

What We Offer:

Apply by March 15, 2025! Send your application (cover letter, CV, references, two work samples in video, photo, text, or social media content, earliest start date, and desired weekly hours) with the subject "Student Assistant Content Creation" to rahel.roloff@hfp.tum.de.

We encourage applications from all backgrounds, especially from women and candidates with disabilities.

As the International Year of Quantum Technologies is coming up, we are launching the first international cohort of the YQSS! During the next year, we want to build a community of young people, interested in changing their future and the future of Quantum Technologies for the better.

What do you get?

Sounds exciting? Sign up and join us here.

 

Join us at the International Quantum Forum 2025! We are looking for artists to explore quantum's playful side through thought-provoking performances, bold art, interactive installations and captivating poetry slams, that bring science to life.

When: 30-31 January
Where: TUM Think Tank, Alte Utting, SMÄK, Gasteig HP8
Formats: Visual Arts, Performance Art, Music
Deadline for Contributions: 15 January
Sign up here!

 

Call for Scientific Posters

Join us at the International Quantum Forum 2025! We are looking for researchers interested in the topics of Quantum Mechanics as a Tool for Radical Artistic Expression, Quantum as a Driver of Innovation and Economic Transformation, and Quantum Technology in Medicine, AI, and Cybersecurity.

When: 30 - 31 JAN
Where: TUM THINK tank - Alte Utting - SMÄK - Gasteig HP8
Format: A0 (841 x 1189 mm or 33.1 x 46.8 inches)
Submission Deadline: 15 January 2025
Guideline: Quantum Technologies applications in medicine, mobility, cybersecurity or banking, or other applications also relating societal or public policy topics.

Sign up here!

Call for Science Slammers

Join our Science Slam Co-Hosted by the Quantum Social Lab and PushQuantum with the support of our Location Partner Alte Utting! You are the greatest in explaining Quantum Technologies? You just wrote a great thesis and want to share your results in a new way? You have an opinion on Quantum Tech which needs to be heard? Then we need you! 

When: 30 Jan, 7:30 - 8:00 PM
Where: Alte Utting
Submission Deadline: 15 January 2025

Sign up here!

Project Description

At the Summit of the Future in New York in September 2024, the international community successfully adopted the Global Digital Compact (GDC) as a first global framework for an open, free, secure and inclusive digital future for all. Similarly, the Secretary General's High-Level Advisory Body on AI (HLAB AI) recently released its recommendations for advancing global AI Governance, highlighting the need for strengthening scientific collaboration and increasing international efforts towards AI and data capacity building.

Moving from negotiations to implementation, now is a pivotal moment in time to advance science-driven, multi-stakeholder action to enable human-centric and inclusive public-purpose technology, and its democratic and human rights-based global governance. To this end, we invite global partners to collaborate as ‘solutions architects’ in a research-to-action community on various high-priority topics of the GDC. The initiative will start with an initial focus on advancing open public interest AI for sustainable and inclusive societies.

Project Goals

1. Advancing Interoperable Global AI Governance:

2. Enabling Technology Solutions for Accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals

3. Empowering Communities

The project goal is to help implement governance and ethics principles by integrating the whole AI life cycle, anchored in concrete use cases. The initiative supports context-sensitive approaches and solutions, reflecting cultural and language diversity, through a holistic ecosystem approach.

The project kickstarts at the Annual Meeting of the Global Network of Internet and Society Research Centers (NoC) in Bangkok – on 17. and 18. October 2024. It will proceed with ideation workshops and learning calls with distinguished experts to identify and co-design first high-impact use cases and develop the project methodology.

About Nicole Manger


Nicole brings a wealth of policy and research expertise at the intersection of Foreign Policy, Law, Technology, and Sustainable Development. She joined the Federal Foreign Office (FFO) of Germany in 2020 in its data and AI driven crisis early warning unit PREVIEW. While at PREVIEW, Nicole led efforts towards advancing global partnerships and programs for putting data-driven, evidence-based decision-making to work for sustaining peace, climate action, and the SDGs. Today, she spearheads efforts in FFO's Coordination Unit for AI in Foreign Policy for Global AI Governance and Digital Cooperation, such as the German engagement for a Global Digital Compact.

In her work at FFO, Nicole launched and led global digital transformation campaigns with the UN, such as the now 30+ Mio. UN Complex Risk Analytics Fund CRAF’d enabling high quality, open-source data and analytics for targeted crisis prevention. She also enabled political agenda setting with the Ministerial Conference “Sustaining Peace Amidst the Climate Crisis: The Role of Data, Science, and Technology”, and advances efforts for a global GovTechecosystem . In her role as Co-Chair of the Task Force on AI and Human Rights in the Freedom Online Coalition, Nicole also focuses on the human rights implications of emerging technologies.

Before joining the Federal Foreign Office, Nicole worked in various functions in diplomacy, security and foreign policy and sustainable development with the US State Department at the US Consulate General in Munich and the Munich Security Conference, as well as with the German Agency for Development Cooperation. She also conducted research at the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Texas at Austin and Göttingen University.

Trained in international relations and law, Nicole’s regional experience spans across North America, Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia. Her previous academic research at the intersection of constitutional law and politics focused on the civil and human rights implications of governmental counter-terrorism efforts and its judicial review mechanisms, global migration and the role of mega-cities, as well as law and politics in multi-cultural jurisdictions.

The Fellowship of Practice is carried out in a personal capacity.

Fellowship of Practice in Collaboration with our Labs

At the TUM Think Tank, Nicole Manger will collaborate with the Global Network of Internet and Society Research Centers (NoC) led by Armando Guio Español, the GovTech Initiative led by Markus Siewert and Urs Gasser, the Ethical Data Initiative led by Sabina Leonelli, as well as the Urban Digitainability Lab led by Stefan Wurster and Markus Siewert.

In 2024 alone, over 70 countries are holding national elections, making it a pivotal year for democracies around the globe. With the rise of generative AI, there's a pressing need to understand its impact on the integrity and fairness of electoral processes. For instance, research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has shown that misinformation campaigns powered by AI can spread up to six times faster than factual news. Also, a recent study done by the AI Democracy Projects - a collaboration between Proof News and the Science, Technology, and Social Values Lab at the Institute for Advanced Study led by Alondra Nelson shows that a majority of AI models’ responses to questions voters might ask were inaccurate, incomplete or even harmful. The implications for voter behavior and election outcomes are profound, necessitating thorough investigation.

 

Project Goals

  1. Mapping the Field: Analyzing the global electoral landscape from the past year, the role of generative AI from the electoral campaigns to the elections, as well as the frameworks in place to mitigate the risks.
  2. Learning from Elections around the globe:Drawing insights from elections worldwide in 2024 to understand how GenAI can influence – negatively or positively – electoral processes.
  3. Countering Mis/Disinformation: Identifying strategies to mitigate the risks of misinformation and disinformation in the electoral context, with a focus on the upcoming German election in 2025.

 

About Amélie Hennemann-Heldt

Dr. Amélie Hennemann-Heldt brings a wealth of expertise from her distinguished career in digital policy and media research. She joined the German Federal Chancellery in 2022 and serves as the deputy head of division ‘General Digital Policy Issues’.

Prior to this, she worked as a researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI) and was associated with the Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society. She was also a lecturer in fundamental and human rights at the Berlin School of Economics and Law and at the University of Jena. Amélie completed fellowships with the Information Society Project at Yale Law School, the Center for Cyber, Law & Policy at Haifa University, and the Weizenbaum-Institute.

In her research, she focused on platform regulation, social media governance, the impact of new technologies on the digital public sphere, and the exercise of fundamental rights in the context of algorithmic decision-making and autonomous systems. She co-founded the HBI Digital Disinformation Hub and co-edited a volume on the constitutionalization of social media. In her doctoral dissertation, she examined the horizontal effect of freedom of expression on social media platforms. 

 

Fellowship of Practice in Collaboration with our Labs

As Fellow of Practice, Amélie will collaborate with the Civic Machines Lab led by Orestis Papkyriakopoulos, the Content Moderation Lab led by Yannis Theocharis, and various members of the GenAI Task Force, to delve into the impacts of GenAI on elections.

At the Summit of the Future, UN member states will adopt the Global Digital Compact, a comprehensive framework that will set the course for digital governance based on shared principles and global priorities. Here’s how we contribute to a bright digital future for all.

In an increasingly digital world, the divides in access, safety, and innovation are becoming more pronounced across countries and communities. At this summit, representatives from 193 UN member states will work together to shape a future where digital technologies are harnessed to drive sustainable development and bridge global divides. The Global Digital Compact aims to address critical issues such as connectivity, digital literacy, data governance, and trust. It also seeks to protect freedom of speech and promote a trustworthy internet by introducing accountability measures for discrimination and misleading content. The Compact is not just a framework; it's a vision for a digital future that is open, free, secure, and human-centered—a future that contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age.

“We can't build a future for our grandchildren with a system built for our grandparents.”
Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General

Keep an eye out on our social media channels and this page to learn more about the Global Digital Compact and our related projects.

Coming Up

Summit of the Future Action Days Side Event: Sept 21, 17:15-18:30 CET

"The Power of the Commons: Digital Public Goods for a More Secure, Inclusive, and Resilient World"

Ahead of the 2024 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), world, industry, and civil society leaders will convene at the United Nations for the Summit of the Future. There, they will vote on the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, guiding documents that offer an important opportunity to shape our digital world. Two Action Days will precede the Summit of the Future, offering an opportunity for multi-stakeholder discussion on the future of global digital governance.

We invite you to join the livestream for "The Power of the Commons: Digital Public Goods for a More Secure, Inclusive, and Resilient World" — a side event during the Summit of the Future Action Days at the United Nations. Hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that operates Wikipedia, this event explores the transformative potential of Digital Public Goods (DPGs) such as Wikipedia and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs) in fostering sustainable development worldwide.
This event is co-sponsored by the UN Member State Delegations of Germany, Mexico, and Poland, and the UN Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology, as well as the organizations Access Now, Network of Centers, Wikimedia Deutschland, Wikimedia Czech Republic, Wikimedia Polska, Wikimedia Europe, and us here at the TUM Think Tank.

This event will delve into the critical role DPGs and DPIs play in:

Event discussions will explore:

Find more information on the event here.

Livestream

 

Our Role in Shaping the Digital Future

At the forefront of this global effort, the Munich School of Politics and Public Policy (HfP) and the TUM Think Tank are driving innovative projects that contribute to the pillars of digital spaces, digital governance, and digital sustainability.

“The GDC should focus on accelerating progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by addressing the following areas: 1) ensuring the equitable distribution of digital benefits across all nations, not just those in the Global North, 2) promoting digital accessibility and diversity, while enhancing interoperability between digital systems, 3) ensuring the responsible, secure, and transparent use of emerging technologies, such as AI, with human oversight throughout and 4) holding major digital  platforms and tech companies  accountable. The GDC should act as a driving force, leveraging digital technology to reduce global inequalities.”

Virgilio Almeida, Berkman Klein Center, Harvard University

Digital Spaces

Digital spaces are the new public spheres where people connect, share, and interact. To ensure these spaces are safe, inclusive, and respectful, the Global Digital Compact emphasizes the need for inclusive governance and the protection of human rights online, by establishing clear guidelines, enhancing digital literacy, and ensuring accountability for harmful behaviors. Here are some of the examples that our work focuses on:

Content Moderation Lab (Yannis Theocharis)

The Content Moderation Lab researches how users interact within digital spaces and their attitudes towards content they encounter online. Through unique data science research, the Content Moderation Lab will provide actionable policy advice about content moderation to lawmakers and companies. By focusing on user attitudes and experiences, and including civil society organizations in research and dialogues, their work gives policymakers a more comprehensive understanding of which problems must be solved, and how to do so. Read more.

REMODE (Christian Djeffal)

As part of the former Reboot Social Media Lab, the project REMODE developed a method to involve users in the design of social media platforms as well as a toolbox to enhance and expand citizen engagement in content moderation mechanisms. Their method is inspired by both participatory technology assessments and participatory design approaches. Read more.

GovTech Initiative (Urs Gasser, Markus Siewert)

This work contributes to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces by fostering cooperation between public administration and the tech industry. Through its research and collaboration efforts, the initiative promotes digital literacy and responsible governance in the public sector, ensuring that digital spaces within government services are accessible, transparent, and accountable. Read more.

Immersive Realities Group (Auxane Boch, Urs Gasser, Daniel Saad, Sofie Schönborn)

This group is creating a hub of researchers from various disciplines including political science, law, computer science, economics, and design. Along with collaborators from the Munich ecosystem and their international network, they form an innovation-friendly partnership, critically exploring the potential of immersive technologies. The project, as one example, prototypes an interactional agent for education in VR - with a simultaneous research project on learning in VR, ethical validation and governance. Read more.

Transformation Finance Lab (Florian Egli)

The Transformation Finance Lab co-designs, improves and evaluates policies to mobilize investment for a sustainable transformation of infrastructure, companies and economies. To the extent that digital spaces require capital from different sources with a common public purpose, the Lab’s work will help identifying, interacting with and mobilizing a variety of sources of capital. Read more.

Civic Machines Lab (Orestis Papakyriakopoulos)

The lab's goal is to address algorithmic unfairness both in foundational machine learning research and when algorithms are implemented in society, cultivating a world where emerging technologies act as agents for creating fairer and more sustainable societies. Read more.

Urban Digitainability Lab (Stefan Wurster, Markus Siewert)

The Urban Digitainability Lab (UDL) accelerates cities' green and digital twin transitions by fostering collaboration between municipalities, researchers, and urban stakeholders. The Lab supports digital spaces that facilitate knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and innovation diffusion, fostering inter-city and intra-city ecosystem development. Read more.

More projects at the Munich School for Politics and Public Policy HfP.

 

Digital Governance

Digital governance ensures that online interactions are fair, transparent, and accountable. To achieve this, the Global Digital Compact underscores the importance of establishing robust frameworks, enhancing regulatory oversight, and fostering global cooperation for effective digital management. Our initiatives include:

GenAI TF (Urs Gasser, Enkelejda Kasneci)

The Gen AI Task Force supports decision-makers in the public sector when evaluating the need, ethical foundation, and design of guidelines in the field of generative AI, for instance in the form of recommendations, best practices as well as policies, including future regulatory approaches. One example is the recently published policy brief "Regulatory Sandboxes as Governance Mechanisms for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" that was co-authored by Noha Lea Halim from Generative AI Taskforce, alongside international experts Armando Guio (Network of Centers) and Christian Perrone (ITS Rio). This brief explores AI governance within global digital governance, emphasizing the role of regulatory sandboxes in driving sustainable innovation and cross-border collaboration. Read more.

The Ethical Data Initiative (Sabina Leonelli)

The Ethical Data Initiativeaims to provide critical guidance and coordination for global efforts towards data governance, including responsible and ethical practices mindful of the social and scientific implications of data sharing. The Initiative builds on long-standing expertise in this domain as well as extensive and expanding collaborations with numerous actors in this space, including both local institutions and national/international networks. Read more.

GovTech Initiative (Urs Gasser, Markus Siewert)

The GovTech Initiative plays a critical role in advancing digital governance by providing evidence-based research that informs policy and regulatory frameworks. The initiative supports the development of transparent, fair, and accountable digital processes within public administration, enhancing global cooperation for effective digital governance. Read more.

Content Moderation Lab (Yannis Theocharis)

The Lab's user-centric insights aim to advance digital governance by strengthening informed decision-making for regulators and technology companies alike. By providing critical information to help policymakers design, implement, and enforce content moderation policies, the Lab supports policies that are responsive to public concerns and solutions that reflect public preferences. Read more.

Transformation Finance Lab (Florian Egli)

The Transformation Finance Lab co-designs, improves and evaluates policies to mobilize investment for a sustainable transformation of infrastructure, companies and economies. To the extent that digital governance requires capital from different sources with a common public purpose, the Lab’s work will help identifying, interacting with and mobilizing a variety of sources of capital. Read more.

Urban Digitainability Lab (Stefan Wurster, Markus Siewert)

The UDL strengthens digital governance by equipping city administrations with the strategies, tools, and expertise needed to manage twin transitions effectively. The Lab bridges the gap between policy and practice, ensuring cities can future-proof their urban infrastructures while adapting to evolving citizen needs. Read more.

More projects at the Munich School for Politics and Public Policy HfP.

Quantum Social Lab (Urs Gasser, Fabienne Marco)

The Quantum Social Lab pioneers digital governance by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to address the ethical, legal, and societal challenges of emerging quantum technologies, ensuring responsible innovation and societal benefit. Read more.

 

Digital Sustainability

Digital sustainability is about creating technology and practices that support long-term ecological and social well-being. The Global Digital Compact advocates for integrating sustainable practices into digital development, and our projects are aligned with this vision:

Ethical Data Initiative (Sabina Leonelli)

Fostering the sustainability of data infrastructures and prospective uses, as well as those of metadata and derivative data, is at the core of the EDI mission. This is achieved through education and training initiatives, in the form of online resources, seminars and workshops, as well as research on how sustainability can be achieved and implemented within specific contexts and domains, and policy work towards promoting adequate decision-making and investments. Read more.

GovTech Initiative (Urs Gasser, Markus Siewert)

The GovTech Initiative integrates sustainable practices into public administration by encouraging the adoption of digital technologies that improve efficiency while reducing environmental impact. We advocate for long-term ecological and social well-being through responsible innovation and the sustainable development of digital tools and processes in government. Read more.

GenAI Taskforce (Urs Gasser, Enkelejda Kasneci)

The GenAI Taskforce is working towards closing digital divides and accelerating progress across the SDGs, as its members advise governments in Thailand and Colombia. Further members work on the topic of youth and digital citizenship to understand skills needed for a digital world. One example of their work is the recently published policy brief "Regulatory Sandboxes as Governance Mechanisms for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)". Here you can read how sandboxes can serve as a tool for advancing AI innovation toward achieving sustainability-related SDGs. This brief emphasized their role in testing green technologies and reducing CO2 emissions. Read more.

Immersive Realities Group (Auxane Boch, Urs Gasser, Daniel Saad, Sofie Schönborn)

This group is creating a hub of researchers from various disciplines including political science, law, computer science, economics, and design. Their upcoming hackathonshowcases an impressive international network of collaborators, with a wide range of stakeholders participating as mentors, judges, and challengers. In addition, it is a hands-on environment where technologies and practices are created that support long-term environmental and social well-being, as these aspirations are directly incorporated into the challenges formulated. Read more.

Transformation Finance Lab (Florian Egli)

The Transformation Finance Lab co-designs, improves and evaluates policies to mobilize investment for a sustainable transformation of infrastructure, companies and economies.When digital technologies and practices provide a tangible positive sustainability effect, the Transformation Finance Lab can help mobilizing capital to achieve these ends. Read more.

Urban Digitainability Lab (Stefan Wurster, Markus Siewert)

The UDL drives digital sustainability by aligning technological innovation with climate goals. Through the twin transition, cities leverage digital technologies to decarbonize urban infrastructure, unlocking opportunities for resilient, equitable, and sustainable urban development. Read more.

Network of Centers

To promote digital public goods and digital public infrastructure, collaboration is essential. We are proud to be part of the Network of Centers (NoC), a global initiative where diverse stakeholders come together to build a more sustainable digital future. Through cross-border cooperation among institutions and universities, we contribute to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration on the critical challenges posed by new technologies, social change, and related policy and regulatory developments.

As part of this network, we are co-hosting a side event at the United Nations Headquarters: The Power of the Commons: Digital Public Goods for a More Secure, Inclusive, and Resilient World during the Summit of the Future Action Days. Find more information on how to join online here at our event page.

More projects at the Munich School for Politics and Public Policy HfP.

Empowering the Next Generation

At the TUM Think Tank, we recognize the vital role that young people play in shaping our digital future. We actively collaborate with youth and amplify their voices, ensuring that their perspectives are integral to the Global Digital Compact. Through initiatives, workshops, and partnerships, we empower youth to engage in digital governance and innovation, making sure that their ideas and concerns are heard and reflected in global digital policies.

As partners of the "Festival der Zukunft" we will explore the topic: Future Island at the Munich-based Deutsche Museum. Meet us there:

GovTech in Action: Overcoming Digitalization Challenges in Germany

Germany's public sector faces significant challenges in its digital transformation. This panel discussion will explore how GovTech can provide solutions to these persistent issues. We will delve into the potential of AI to enhance public services and discuss the importance of government collaboration with start-ups. The panel will also address the major hurdles, including regulatory constraints, data privacy concerns, and the cultural shift needed within governmental organizations. Join us to uncover how innovative technologies can drive the digital future of Germany's public sector. Moderated by our Managing Director, Markus Siewert.

Panelists:

  • Sandra Pavleka, acatech – Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften
  • Vanessa Theel, Co-Founder & CRO at SUMM AI
  • Lars Zimmermann, Co-Founder and Board Member of the GovTech Campus Deutschland

Thursday, 27 June 2024 - 3 - 4 PM 
Dome Stage - Festival der Zukunft - Deutsches Museum
More Information here.

 

Discover our Labs & Projects at the Family Day - Free Entrance on Saturday, 29 June 

At our walk-in booth, you will get an insight into the work of the TUM Think Tank. Here we dive into the future together, peer through the latest technologies into a world of tomorrow and yesterday, and discuss, experiment and explore together how we can shape and use technologies responsibly.

Join us at the first floor of the main building! Bring your family and friends and enjoy a glimpse into the future with us!

Quantum technologies can potentially reshape our society, for better or worse. For instance, quantum simulations could play a pivotal role in combating climate change, yet they could also be exploited to develop chemical weapons. How can we ensure that our society benefits from quantum technologies while mitigating potential risks?

In a commenary titled "A call for responsible quantum technology," published today in Nature Physics, Urs Gasser of the Quantum Social Lab at the TUM Think Tank, along with co-authors Eline De Jong and Mauritz Kop, advocate for the responsible handling of quantum technologies and the establishment of guidelines. Based on an international interdisciplinary effort led by the Stanford Center for Responsible Quantum Technology, the authors introduce a framework for responsible quantum technologies that integrates ethical, legal, socio-ecological, and policy implications into the research and development of quantum technologies.

Developing suitable guardrails and governance frameworks for quantum technologies are among the main objectives of the Quantum Social Lab, co-directed by Urs Gasser and Fabienne Marco. Towards this end, the lab brings together an interdisciplinary community to examine, evaluate, and help shape the development and use of quantum-based applications, and promote responsible innovation.

"History teaches us that ethical, legal, socio-economic, and policy implications are often only an afterthought when a powerful technology has already made its way from the lab into the wild,” says lead author Urs Gasser. “Given the possible ramifications of quantum technology, we should not repeat this mistake and create guardrails while it is still malleable. Our call in Nature Physics invites the science community to help shape defining principles and practices.”

The full commentary on responsible quantum technology can be found in Nature Physics:

Read the commentary

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