In response to the call for papers for the theme collection of “Sovereign Artificial Intelligence and Digital Sovereignty” under the journal AI and Innovation, and to ensure the academic depth and regional breadth of the final published content, Institute for Digital Economy and Artificial Systems (IDEAS-BRICS), Global South Academic Forum (GSAF), and Global South Insights (GSI) have jointly decided to launch a four-month series of offline and online seminars as the core supporting component for this theme collection. The first session will focus on Asia. Details regarding the time and location of the seminar are as follows:

Time: March 20, 2026, 2:00 PM

Location: Lomonosov Conference Room, 16/F, Building B09, BRICS Future Innovation Park, Software Park Phase III, Chengyi North Street, Jimei District, Xiamen, Fujian, China

Session Information:

Please scan the QR code in the picture to register.

Introduction of the Theme Collection: “Sovereign AI and Digital Sovereignty”

“Sovereign AI and Digital Sovereignty” is one of the theme collections under AI and Innovation. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has intensified debates over digital sovereignty worldwide. Many nations face structural predicaments in achieving digital sovereignty. This theme collection examines how different nations experience and respond to these challenges. By establishing sovereign AI and digital sovereignty as legitimate fields of inquiry, this collection aims to provide critical analysis and evidence-based policy recommendations for navigating an increasingly contested digital landscape.

From March to June 2026, we will focus on one specific region each month (Asia, Eurasia, Africa, and Latin America), inviting top experts to engage in in-depth dialogue on digital sovereignty issues within the geopolitical context. This initiative adopts a “workshop-first” approach to provide scholars with a platform for intellectual exchange before the formal submission deadline. It aims to stimulate more targeted theoretical reflections and policy recommendations. By the time of publication in July, we expect to present the academic community and the public with high-quality scholarly work that combines theoretical insights, regional representativeness, and practical guidance.

Series of Seminars

1. Asia Session

Date: March 2026

Theme: Open-Source AI and Sovereign Infrastructure: Opportunities and Limits for the Global South

Core Topics:

• The Digital Sovereignty Index: An Assessment Framework and AI-driven Methodology
• 5G/6G Network Development and Communications Sovereignty
• The “Asian Path” to AI Advancement: Achieving Autonomous R&D Amidst Technological Blockades
• Digital Economy Platform Governance and Cross-Border Data Flow
• Malaysia’s Digital Sovereignty After the US Trade Agreement

Moderator:

Shameem A. Nawber: Deputy Director, IDEAS-BRICS; Associate Editor, AI and Innovation

Experts to Be Invited:

• Xiong Jie: Secretary-General, Global South Academic Forum
• John Pang: Senior Fellow, Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific
• Zheng Ge: Professor, School of Law, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
• Xu Miao: Research Fellow, Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT)·
• Bappa Sinha: Chief Technology Officer, Virtunet Systems
• Yu Xiao: Executive Secretary-General, IDEAS-BRICS; Executive Editor-in-Chief, AI and Innovation

2. Eurasia Session

Date: April 2026

Theme: Cybersecurity and Information Geopolitics—The Case of Russia

Core Topics:

• Cyber Warfare and Defense Strategies in the Context of Geopolitical Conflicts
• Digital Survival Strategies for Countering Sanctions and Decoupling
• Legal Frameworks for Information Sovereignty and Preventing External Penetration

3. Africa Session

Date: May 2026

Theme: Data Sovereignty and Digital Decolonization

Core Topics:

• Resisting “Digital Colonialism” — Protecting National Data Resources
• Structural Challenges to Digital Sovereignty and Pathways to Technological Autonomy
• The New Digital Scramble for Africa: Trade Agreements, Infrastructure Vulnerabilities, and the Call for a Digital Bandung
• Bridging the Digital Divide and Enhancing Digital Literacy
• Building a Pan-African Digital Payment and Data Storage System

4. Latin America Session

Date: June 2026

Theme: Digital Governance Models

Core Topics:

• Technology Dependency and Autonomous Capacity Building
• Data Sovereignty and Value Distribution