This session marks the official launch of the report, “Building Digital Infrastructure Ready for the AI Era: Insights from 13 Middle Power Governments”. This research is a central pillar of the joint digital infrastructure initiative, by GSI and the Project Liberty Institute (PLI). It is aimed at redefining how countries navigate the technological shifts over the next decades.

Moving beyond high-level theory, we present a synthesis of perspectives from governments across four continents that are currently on the front lines of the AI transition. The discussion focuses on a critical paradigm shift: treating digital systems not just as technical utilities, but as a fundamental act of governance and national resilience.

We will explore how coordinated action among like-minded partners can move the needle from fragmented national efforts toward shared frameworks and collective leverage in the AI era. By aligning modular building blocks and interoperable standards, this session aims to catalyze a community of practice dedicated to securing citizens’ agency and sovereignty before the architecture of the AI era is permanently set by other players. The window to shape that architecture in ways that reflect democratic values and shared sovereignty is narrowing. This session asks what coordinated action among the middle powers can still achieve before it closes.