German Student Association at Berkeley

For the first time in our young history as a newly founded Association, we co-organized the Transatlantic Forward Thinking 2023 conference together with the GACC WEST - Representative of German Business, and received funding by the Ausw?rtiges Amt (Federal Foreign Office) Germany. The event covered important topics at the intersection of #Innovation and #Regulation. Spanning topics from AI ethics to sustainability, here are some standout ideas that left us feeling inspired: 1. #ShiftingGlobalWorldOrder: Speakers highlighted the urgency of restoring transatlantic relations between the EU and the US, grounded in more than shared values. Confronting global challenges necessitates heightened dialogue and cohesive strategies, particularly in policy-making towards China. This extends to aligning diverse cultures worldwide, which, though challenging due to varying regulatory and ethical frameworks, can collectively foster innovative breakthroughs when harmonized. 2. #SteeringInvestmentsForEthicalAIAndSustainability: Experts in AI and Sustainability agree on an approach to reduce investment risks in renewable projects, enabling smoother funding flows. This derisking is achieved through extensive testing of AI models and the increased application of sustainable technologies before their global deployment. Such testing not only reduces risks but also enhances understanding of these technologies, thus fostering further innovation based on these insights. The discussion also emphasized the necessity of synchronizing the rate of technological innovation with the development of thorough and effective regulations, to ensure that technology operates ethically and responsibly for the benefit of society. Throughout the conference, a consistent theme emerged. Both the audience and the speakers agreed on the importance of: #StrengtheningTransatlanticTies: Uniting as a transatlantic collective, leveraging our shared values, we can tackle the significant challenges of ethically using technology in a new global order and synchronizing innovation with regulation. Thus, stakeholder engagement is crucial. This necessitates a strong call for collaboration among industry, government, and civil society.? What we initiated on the 16th and 17th of November is a movement we aim to propagate from here on, spreading the word about these significant outcomes of the conference. #TransatlanticForwardThinking