In 2017, the International Telecommunications Union reported that almost half (48 percent) of the world’s 7.6 billion people are online. Every day, more people — especially citizens in the developing world — gain internet access. As these individuals supply, demand and send ever more data across borders, they are also creating a global digital economy. As data flows between individuals, firms and governments across borders, these entities process that data, creating new services. Because many of these cross-border data flows are directly or indirectly associated with a commercial transaction, they are essentially “traded.”
Recent Publications
Regrets of the Tech Bros: In a land ruled by the law of the jungle
On his Inauguration Day, Donald Trump sent a message. The founders and CEOs of Apple,Amazon, Google, Meta, Open AI, and Uber, among other giant high-tech companies, sat in the front rows near the Trump family and cabinet nominees. Trump and his staff wanted to use...
The Dangers of AI Nationalism and Beggar-Thy-Neighbour Policies
As they attempt to nurture and govern AI, some nations are acting in ways that – with or without direct intent – discriminate among foreign market actors. For example, some governments are excluding foreign firms from access to incentives for high-speed computing, or...
Talking to a Brick Wall: The US Government’s Response to Public Comments on AI
April 28, 2025 Building trust in artificial intelligence (AI) is an elusive goal, especially if AI models are closed or partially open, making it difficult for users to determine if these models are reliable, fair or trustworthy. For this reason, the Biden...