Across the world, digital technologies are transforming economies, reshaping societies, and redefining how people connect and create. Yet, alongside these possibilities come new risks– around artificial intelligence (AI) and misuse of data – that must be carefully navigated to ensure that digital progress benefits everyone.

Join us for an engaging policy dialogue at King’s College London that brings together leading academics, policymakers, and practitioners to explore how to build more trusted, inclusive, and effective governance for the digital future.

Hosted by Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, the event will draw on new insights from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll to inform evidence-based policymaking in the digital era. Southeast Asia is at a pivotal moment in its digital journey; rapid growth in digital technologies and AI offers huge opportunities for economic development, innovation, and regional integration. At the same time, these advances bring new risks that, if not carefully managed, could undermine trust and widen inequalities.

The discussion will feature new findings from the policy briefs Rising Risks and Digital Trade Policy in Southeast Asia and AI Risks and Governance in Southeast Asia, highlighting how public perceptions can guide smarter, more inclusive digital policies.

Presentations of the briefs will be followed by an expert panel exploring practical strategies to build trust, strengthen governance, and harness the benefits of digitalisation and AI for all.

Agenda

10.30 Welcome and introduction

10.40 Setting the scene: Presentation of policy brief Rising Risks and Digital Trade Policy in Southeast Asia

Dr Karishma Banga, Lecturer in Digital Economy, Department of Digital Humanities, King’s College London

10.55 Setting the scene: Presentation of policy brief AI Risks and Governance in Southeast Asia

Dr Zoi Roupakia, Policy Affiliate, Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy, University of Cambridge

11.10 Expert panel discussion: Strategies to build trust, strengthen governance, and harness the benefits of digital innovation for all

• Anisa Farida, Counsellor, Indonesian Mission to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation
• Dr Chris Foster, Senior Lecturer, Global Development Institute, University of Manchester
• Georgina Hutchinson, Associate Partner, Dalberg Data Insights

12.00 Light lunch and networking

The event is part of the project Policymaking for a more resilient world: leveraging the World Risk Poll for more effective digital, labour, and industrial policies led by Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy, in partnership with UNIDO, and funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation.