Technology policy has traditionally been slow to keep pace with the rapid growth and increasing economic and societal importance of the tech sector. Standards for conduct online were invariably industry-led or the result of legal cases, and investment was overwhelmingly from private rather than public sources of capital.
In the past decade this shifted as governments globally introduced regulations on data protection, content moderation, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital competition, and began developing industrial strategies to strengthen national tech sectors, what has come to be known as tech sovereignty. These trends are increasingly seen as being in tension with each other as the global race in cloud computing, AI and other key technologies intensifies, and emphasis moves from consumer protection to industrial competitiveness amidst geopolitical tensions.
For companies and investors, tech sovereignty creates both challenges and opportunities. Previously unthinkable government incentives are now on the table for certain technologies. However, companies also face competing expectations across their markets to localise their investment, manufacturing, R&D and employment footprints. These require an increasingly sophisticated approach to global government relations and communication strategies.
As we consider whether the momentum behind tech sovereignty will be sustained in the coming years and whether political rhetoric will be matched by policy implementation, public opinion is critical. The objective of this report is to assess whether the public share policymakers’ prioritisation of tech sovereignty, and to act as a guide for corporates and investors on how and where they can shape the debate.
