"Listening to the Professionals: An Inside Look at Digital Transformation"
Lecture by S.N. Sarukhanyan, Director of the Eurasian Development Bank's Digital Initiatives, for students of the Global Economy Master's Program
Director of the EDB's Digital Initiatives Directorate, Ph.D. in Politics, S.N. Sarukhanyan, discussed with students the specifics of integration associations' digital agendas.
On November 19, a lecture entitled "Digital Agendas of Integration Associations: Challenges and Prospects" was held with the participation of Sevak Norairovich Sarukhanyan, Director of the EDB's Digital Initiatives Directorate and Ph.D. in Politics. The lecture examined the key digital strategies of the largest integration associations and the challenges they face in the era of digital transformation.
The European Union, as a recognized trendsetter in digital regulation, is implementing the "Single Digital Space" strategy aimed at creating a single data market, strengthening cybersecurity, and developing artificial intelligence (AI). The EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) aim to combat monopolization and control the activities of tech giants through strict regulations. In the EAEU, the primary objective is to establish digital corridors and synchronize national digital programs, including through the implementation of digital product labeling. In ASEAN, digital policy is characterized by flexible cooperation with a focus on e-commerce and narrowing the digital divide, while Mercosur is in the initial phase of developing a common digital strategy, emphasizing the harmonization of e-commerce and data protection legislation. The United States plays a special role, with the power of tech corporations and a liberal approach to innovation making it a key player in the global digital economy.
The lecturer discussed in detail the key challenges of digital regulation: the need to balance innovation and the ethical risks of AI, regulating the dominance of global internet platforms, and updating antitrust legislation to account for network effects and the importance of data. These issues have become a new arena of geoeconomic rivalry, where success will determine the competitiveness and digital sovereignty of various integration models.
Thus, the lecture provided the master's students with a deep understanding of the modern digital agendas of integration associations and the most important strategic issues facing the global economy in the era of digital transformation.