Editor BGF

Mark Kennedy, Member of BGF Board of Thinkers

 As submitted to the Office of Science and Technology Policy in response to a Request For Information asking for input for their upcoming US AI Action Plan

 Action Steps to Strengthen US AI Leadership and Economic Competitiveness

• Invest in AI Talent Pipeline– China graduates twice the number of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) PhDs as the US. With the US ranking near the bottom in the percentage of graduates pursuing STEM fields, it has long relied on attracting the world’s best and brightest. Visas for Chinese students and academics have fallen by two-thirds since peaking in 2015. A recent surge in students from India is taking up some of the slack. It is important that policies and a welcoming environment continue to attract the global AI talent essential to US tech leadership while also investing more in STEM education for American students.

1. Provide Access to High-Performance Compute Power– Establish a national AI compute network to support research universities. Increase domestic semiconductor production and high-performance computing (HPC) resources to support AI research and private-sector innovation. Gain a decisive lead in emerging technologies that promise faster and greener compute power, such as optical computing (using laser light waves), neuromorphic computing (modeled after systems in the human brain), and quantum computing (using subatomic particles).

• Secure Data– Secure access to unbiased, high-quality data for US AI researchers. Consider which datasets should be restricted from strategic competitors. Counter China’s growing control over the data flowing through global telecommunications (Huawei, ZTE) and logistics (LOGINK) software, while promoting secure, US-aligned alternatives.

1. Fund Research– Fully fund research as authorized in the CHIPS and Science Act, prioritizing AI and other technologies that will shape tomorrow like quantum, biotech and nanotechnology. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), China recently overtook the US in research funding at universities and government entities. Unless funding trends are reversed China will soon overtake the US in total research funding. The US must ensure American institutions remain the world’s AI research hubs.
2. Invest in AI for Economic Competitiveness– Support AI-driven innovation across key industries (healthcare, manufacturing, energy, finance) by incentivizing AI adoption in small businesses and expanding AI-driven workforce training programs. The goal should be for AI to enhance productivity and job creation to ensure continued opportunities for American workers.

Action Steps to Address AI’s Societal Risks 

1. Strengthen AI Transparent Government Use– Promote AI usage to provide 24/7 government services in a transparent manner, enhancing the availability and ease of accessing government services while maintaining trust and accountability.
2. Combat AI-Powered Disinformation While Preserving Free Speech –Work with AI firms to advance voluntary content labeling, misinformation detection, and deepfake protections—without empowering censorship frameworks that could restrict political discourse.

Please see full here: https://bostonglobalforum.org/publication/14916/

and https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/strategic-vision-us-ai-leadership-supporting-security-innovation-democracy-and-global

 

 

Launched at the BGF Roundtable: “Humanity and Compassion in Vietnamese Film and Contributions to the AI World Society”
Harvard University Faculty Club, Cambridge, MA
March 11, 2025

Overview

The Friends of Vietnam-U.S. Film Collaboration program is a landmark initiative to strengthen cinematic ties between Vietnam and the United States, celebrating 30 years of normalized relations and our comprehensive strategic partnership. Spearheaded by the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA), this program unites esteemed leaders, filmmakers, scholars, and innovators to foster creativity, advance AI-driven storytelling, and promote cultural exchange through film.

Objectives

1. Enhance Industry Ties: Facilitate collaboration between Vietnamese and U.S. filmmakers, producers, and technologists to share expertise, resources, and opportunities.
2. Promote Innovation: Support the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in cinema, guided by AI World Society (AIWS) standards, to responsibly shape the future of storytelling.
3. Celebrate Cultural Exchange: Highlight the humanity and compassion in Vietnamese cinema while expanding its reach through U.S. platforms and vice versa.
4. Build Global Networks: Connect film communities in Vietnam and the U.S. with international hubs, amplifying their impact in the AI era.
5. Access Film Markets: Open pathways for Vietnamese and U.S. films to enter and thrive in each other’s markets, enhancing visibility and economic opportunities.

Key Initiatives

• AIWS Film Park: Develop a pioneering cinema hub in a beautiful city, Vietnam, linking it to Boston, New York, Hollywood, and beyond, with support from program friends.
• Da Nang Asian Film Festival Promotion: Elevate the festival’s profile in Boston and other U.S. cities, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration.
• Workshops and Exchanges: Organize events, roundtables, and mentorship programs to connect filmmakers, innovators, and scholars from both nations.

Esteemed Friends

The program is honored to include the following distinguished individuals as foundational supporters:

• Governor Michael Dukakis, Former Governor of Massachusetts, Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Boston Global Forum
• Professor Thomas Patterson, Harvard University,
• Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-Chair and CEO, Boston Global Forum
• Meg Montagnino-Jarrett, Director, Massachusetts Film Office
• Angela Peri, Founder, Boston Casting
• Sara Archambault, Director of Harvard Shorenstein Center Doc Film Program
• Matthew Salloway, Filmmaker and CEO GSI Ventures
• Le Vinh Hoa, Director of Harvard University Vietnamese Language Program
• Tony Bui, Artist-in-Residence at Columbia University, Acclaimed Filmmaker
• Mark Kennedy, Director of the Wilson Center’s Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition, Mark Kennedy
• Lorie Conway, Boston Film Producer
• Professor Robert Desimone, MIT, Neuroscience and Technology Expert
• Professor David Silbersweig, Harvard Medical School, Innovator in Science and Culture
• Jeff Saviano, Harvard University
• Lrod, MIT Lecture
• Professor Suk-Young Kim, UCLA
• Cameron Kerry, Former Acting Secretary of Commerce
• Ngo Phuong Lan, Chairwoman, Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA)
• Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung, Vietnam’s Ambassador to the United States
• Tran Thi Bich Van, Spouse of Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung
• Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations
• Ambassador Hoang Anh Tuan, Consul General of Viet Nam Consulate General in San Francisco, California, the United States of America
• Pham Viet Dung, VST Business Leader, VFDA
• Dinh Trong Tuan, Member of Standing Committee, VFDA
• Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Vice Chairwoman, VFDA

Roles and Contributions

The Esteemed Friends will:

• Provide strategic guidance, mentorship, and advocacy for the program’s initiatives.
• Leverage their networks to connect Vietnamese and U.S. film communities with global opportunities and markets.
• Participate in key events, such as the AIWS Film Park launch (April 2, 2025) and the Da Nang Asian Film Festival showcase (June 30, 2025).

Implementation

• Launch: Discuss at the BGF Roundtable on March 11, 2025.
• Next Steps: Convene an inaugural meeting of the Esteemed Friends by April 2025 to outline priorities, followed by workshops and exchanges throughout 2025-2026.
• Support: Backed by BGF’s strategic expertise and VFDA’s leadership, with collaboration from academic partners (Harvard, MIT, Columbia, UCLA).

Vision

The Friends of Vietnam-U.S. Film Collaboration program aspires to create a vibrant, interconnected film ecosystem that honors the past 30 years of Vietnam-U.S. relations while forging a future where cinema and AI unite to inspire, educate, and connect the world. Together, we will build bridges that amplify Vietnamese and American voices in the global AI landscape and open new markets for mutual growth.

The “AIWS Nha Trang Film Park” is envisioned as a groundbreaking cinema hub that unites writers, creators, innovators, directors, investors, and marketers at the intersection of film and artificial intelligence (AI). Rooted in Nha Trang, Vietnam, and guided by AI World Society (AIWS) standards, this initiative connects Nha Trang to global film capitals—Boston, New York, Hollywood, Washington DC, San Francisco, Paris, Rome, Venice, and London—fostering creativity, collaboration, and innovation on an international stage. By blending natural beauty with cutting-edge AI and digital technology, the AIWS Nha Trang Film Park aims to redefine filmmaking, empower communities, and elevate Vietnamese cinema’s global presence in the AI Age.

Objectives

1. Foster Global Collaboration: Create a dynamic network of filmmakers, scholars, innovators, and investors to exchange ideas, develop new films, and explore the responsibilities of cinema in the AI era.
2. Innovate Filmmaking: Build a new model of studios that combines natural settings with AI and digital tools, revolutionizing film production and storytelling.
3. Expand Market Reach: Analyze and enhance the Asian film market while connecting it to global audiences and industries.
4. Promote Education and Accessibility: Democratize filmmaking by educating individuals to create short and mobile films using AI tools, natural studios, and real-world settings.
5. Celebrate Cultural Legacy: Highlight humanity and compassion in Vietnamese cinema while advancing its contributions to the AI World Society.

Collaborative Framework

• Partners:
  • Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA) and VST Entertainment
  • Boston Global Forum (BGF)
  • Centers, Programs of Harvard University, MIT, Columbia University, UCLA
• Investors: Business communities from the USA and Vietnam
• Offices: Nha Trang, Vietnam, and Boston, Massachusetts
• Support: Nha Trang Khanh Hoa government, building on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with BGF in May 2024
• Strategic Advisors: Boston Global Forum (BGF), providing expertise in AI innovation, AI World Society (AIWS) standards, and cultural integration, while connecting the project to globally eminent figures. BGF offers pioneering ideas and solutions to make the AIWS Nha Trang Film Park a unique cinematic hub in the AI era.

Key Components

1. AIWS Nha Trang Film Park Community
   • A special network connecting Nha Trang with Boston, New York, Hollywood, Washington DC, San Francisco, Paris, Rome, Venice, and London.
   • Activities include:
     • Roundtables and meetings with writers, screenwriters, directors, innovators, investors, scholars, and stars to brainstorm new ideas and films.
     • Development of studios integrating natural landscapes with AI and digital technology.
     • Discussions on the Asian film market and its global potential.
     • A “Roundtable of Film in the AI Age – Age of Global Enlightenment,” continuing the legacy of the AI Action Summit.

2. Innovation in Film
   • New Models: Introduce short films and mobile films as accessible, innovative formats.
   • Education Initiative: Equip individuals with tools and knowledge to create films using AI, natural settings, and mobile devices, fostering a global creative community across the AIWS Nha Trang Film Park cities.
3. Friends of Vietnam-U.S. Film Collaboration
   • A dedicated program to build the AIWS Nha Trang Film Park, linking Vietnamese and U.S. film industries and leveraging expertise from both nations’ business and academic communities.

Sponsored by AIWS Government 24/7
Written and Produced by Joseph Caristena

A fantasy-fiction theater production dedicated to enthusiasts and lovers of the Hellenic world and Magna Graecia.

Synopsis

“Othismos” presents a titanic clash between “Spiritual Intelligence” and “Artificial Intelligence”—a parallel between the spiritual wisdom of ancient mysticism and the modern quantum physics of artificial intelligence, exemplified by concepts like entanglement.

In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the boundaries and architecture of our society. Today, even the basic understanding of intelligence itself grows increasingly elusive, plunging humanity into a profound identity crisis. As democracies worldwide face backsliding and a process of social reverse engineering, technological progress accelerates at an unprecedented pace. This relentless advance demands urgent reflection on the ethical, philosophical, and social implications of a disruptive and pervasive technological revolution.

Technological development must not be reduced to the mere financial expansion of a few global high-tech empires, stretching their influence across the world and into space. True development must be holistic—geared toward the social elevation of every individual, leaving no one behind. What matters is not the abstract technological advancement of society, but the progress, growth, and elevation of humanity’s spiritual well-being. Only when this occurs within every person, every community, and ultimately all of humankind can we speak of genuine social progress and universal development.

In this context, it may seem paradoxical to turn to the world of Greek mythology. Yet, these ancient myths offer timeless and powerful insights to decode the abstract challenges and threats posed by AI. They place humanity back at the center of evaluating societal progress in a hyper-technological world, where algorithms—driven by a hybrid form of artificial intelligence—increasingly shape our behaviors, attitudes, and decisions.

Only a clear perception and authentic narration of lived reality (not a virtually constructed one) can illuminate the horizon of our future. Through deep spiritual discernment, we can redefine the universal values and ethical principles that guide humanity. In recent years, the rapid pace of technological acceleration and an obsession with anticipating the future have triggered a relentless erosion of the human spirit—destructuring identities, flattening memories, and uprooting our original essence.

The wild, unrelenting forces of AI now challenge human intellect and identity. The unexplored consequences of creating artificial entities raise profound questions about consciousness and the essence of existence, leaving humanity in perpetual confusion as perception spirals out of control. Without knowing our destination, only a journey inward can exorcise both our known and unknown fears.

In antiquity, “Know thyself” was inscribed in bold letters on the pediment of Apollo’s temple at Delphi. We must look within to discover that the essence of life lies in our inner world, not in the external one. If external conflicts stem from internal struggles, the emergence of a third, immersive virtual dimension—blurring the boundaries with our physical and mental realities—complicates matters further.

To uncover our destiny, we must be prepared for sacrifice, hoping that this journey ends with the embrace of the Muse of Truth. This quest might conclude in a single, unexpected moment or become the pursuit of a lifetime. Regardless, it is a journey worth embarking upon—to feel truly alive and to finally encounter our authentic selves waiting at the end.

Microsoft today introduced Majorana 1, the world’s first quantum chip powered by a new Topological Core architecture that it expects will realize quantum computers capable of solving meaningful, industrial-scale problems in years, not decades.

It leverages the world’s first topoconductor, a breakthrough type of material which can observe and control Majorana particles to produce more reliable and scalable qubits, which are the building blocks for quantum computers.

In the same way that the invention of semiconductors made today’s smartphones, computers and electronics possible, topoconductors and the new type of chip they enable offer a path to developing quantum systems that can scale to a million qubits and are capable of tackling the most complex industrial and societal problems, Microsoft said.

Please read full at:

https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/innovation/microsofts-majorana-1-chip-carves-new-path-for-quantum-computing/

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/technology/microsoft-quantum-computing-topological-qubit.html

Hon. Mark R. Kennedy, Director of the Wilson Center’s Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition

Speech delivered on February 11, 2025, at the Boston Global Forum’s “Government 24/7: How Al Might Best Transform Governance” event as part of the Al Action Summit in Paris, France

24/7 Government: Harnessing AI for Public Good

Rather than seeking to lead the world in excessive regulations, Europe should consider leading in embracing initiatives like the AI World Society (AIWS) Government 24/7 model of government promoted by the Boston Global Forum.

This is a vision for government that operates continually, efficiently, and ethically, driven by AI to enhance human governance rather than replace it.

Nearly every other aspect of society has become continually responsive to individuals simply by tapping day or night on our smart phones. To reflect the Enlightenment’s spirit of individual empowerment, government should be just as responsive.

The AIWS Government 24/7 model embraces ethical governance and includes several components:

• Boston Areti AI (Areti being the Greek word for virtue). This is the idea that governance can be improved by government leaders having access to an AI-driven decision-support agent that learns from history’s greatest leaders, accumulating the lessons learned from the past, and incorporating the best insights that AI can offer.
• Integration of AI into all branches of government. To ensure efficient and responsive government, AI should support executive decision-making, legislative analysis, and judicial processing. Yes, humans will remain at the heart of governance, but by leveraging AI, governments can be more responsive to their citizens.
• AIWS University. Universities should strive to become lifelong AI-empowered learning ecosystems, helping faculty to offer personalized education and accelerate research discoveries. Such universities would foster an interdisciplinary approach, integrating AI with ethics, policy, and technology to develop the next generation of leaders equipped to navigate the complexities of AI governance and innovation.
• AIWS Healthcare. In the age of AI, healthcare providers can be more patient-centric. They can benefit from AI-driven predictive analytics, resource optimization, diagnostics, and treatment planning to enhance patient outcomes and reduce medical errors, in pursuit of providing continual, equitable access to high-quality healthcare.
• Cybersecurity and Data Protection Policiestake on an even more important role. AI governance and service delivery systems must be safeguarded from misuse.

AI-assisted 24/7 governance promises greater efficiency, accessibility, and responsiveness. To achieve this, we must ensure it empowers government workers and citizens alike in like with the Enlightenment spirit, rather than overwhelming them with bureaucracy.

A Call to Action

We are at a defining moment. The choice before us is not merely one of technological design but one of philosophical alignment. Will we uphold the ideals of the Enlightenment, or will we allow them to be eclipsed by authoritarian efficiency?

The tasks before us are clear. First, we must ensure humans remain in control of AI. Second, we must champion the democratic, freedom-focused AI model over the authoritarian alternative. Third, we must address the broader societal concerns AI brings.

France must embrace its Enlightenment heritage, streamline regulatory burdens, and lead in advancing safe, human-centered AI. By doing so, it can inspire not only Europe but the world.

The Enlightenment was a revolution of knowledge, autonomy, and progress.

Today, we must ignite a similar revolution, ensuring that AI serves humanity, protects dignity, and upholds liberty.

Together, let us ensure that the democratic AI model prevails—not just for the sake of innovation, but for the preservation of the human spirit itself.

Please read full at: https://bostonglobalforum.org/publication/preserving-the-ideals-of-the-enlightenment-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence/

On February 3, 2025, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Intel Corporation (Intel) to strengthen their collaboration for the industrialization of quantum technology.

Through this partnership, AIST’s Quantum-AI Fusion Technology Business Development Global Research Center (G-QuAT) will integrate its evaluation testbed and device manufacturing capabilities with Intel’s cutting-edge semiconductor processes.

The goal is to realize a system with tens of thousands of qubits at an industrially viable level by the early 2030s. Specifically, the collaboration will focus on evaluating and optimizing materials and components essential for silicon quantum computer systems, developing implementation technologies, advancing refrigeration technology for large-scale quantum computers, integrating qubits, and developing cryogenic electronics for qubit control.

• AIST and Intel signed an MOU to strengthen collaboration on industrializing quantum technology, focusing on silicon quantum computers.

• The partnership integrates AIST’s G-QuAT research center capabilities with Intel’s established semiconductor processes to potentially develop a system with tens of thousands of qubits by the early 2030s.
• The collaboration will optimize materials, develop implementation and refrigeration technologies, integrate qubits, and create cryogenic electronics for large-scale quantum computing.

https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/02/07/aist-and-intel-strengthen-collaboration-for-industrialization-of-silicon-quantum-computers/

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Japan-lab-and-Intel-set-out-to-develop-next-gen-quantum-computer

 

Recommendations for Realizing AIWS Government 24/7:

1. Establish a Global Alliance for Digital Governance – France should lead efforts to create an AI governance alliance, bringing together democratic nations to develop policies that ensure AI’s responsible use in government.
2. Develop an AI Ethics and Transparency Framework – Governments must adopt a universal AI ethics charter that includes transparency, accountability, and human-centric design.
3. Invest in AI for Public Services – AIWS Government 24/7 should be piloted in France, using AI to improve healthcare, education, legal systems, and social services, ensuring continuous and responsive governance.
4. Create AI-Powered Citizen Engagement Platforms – Governments should develop AI-powered platforms that allow citizens to interact with policymakers in real-time, fostering public participation. This is a core component of AIWS Government 24/7.
5. Ensure AI for Democracy, Not Control – AI should be used to strengthen democratic institutions, not to censor, manipulate, or surveil populations. France should take the lead in safeguarding these principles.
6. Launch AI Talent and Innovation Hubs Named “Global Enlightenment Mountain” (GEM) – Establish AI research centers that bring together students, researchers, and policymakers to develop AI applications aligned with Enlightenment values. This is an innovative new model, evolving beyond Silicon Valley.
7. Enhance Cybersecurity and Data Protection – Governments must develop strict AI security protocols to prevent cyberattacks, deepfake misinformation, and AI-driven manipulations.
8. Promote AI Education and Public Awareness – AI literacy programs should be introduced in schools and universities to ensure that the next generation understands both the benefits and risks of AI governance.
9. Facilitate Cross-Cultural AI Collaborations – France should foster AI collaborations between the EU, US, Japan, India, and ASEAN, ensuring that AI-driven governance reflects diverse perspectives.
10. Declare Paris the Global Hub for Ethical AI Governance – France should position itself as the leader of ethical AI and use the New Paris of Enlightenment as a model for democratic AI governance worldwide.

Endorsement and Background

These recommendations are the result of in-depth discussions by the Enlightenment in Action Alliance (EAA), a distinguished network of outstanding students from top universities including Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Princeton, Columbia, UCLA, Georgetown, Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Oxford, Cambridge, and Paris PSL.

The EAA’s proposals were formulated during “AI Action Summit: Transforming Governance in the Age of AI,” an official event of “On the Road to the AI Action Summit in Paris,” organized by the Boston Global Forum (BGF).

The EAA, mentored and sponsored by the Boston Global Forum, is dedicated to advancing the vision of AIWS Government 24/7 and contributing to the development of the Special Program “Creating a New Paris of Enlightenment.”

To Distinguished Leaders, Visionaries, Actors, and Actresses of Hollywood and the Film Industry

The AI Action Summit and Boston Global Forum are honored to invite you to a groundbreaking dialogue featuring President Macron, world leaders attending the AI Action Summit, and visionaries, actors, and actresses of Hollywood during the AI Action Summit, taking place in Paris on February 11, 2025, as part of the broader AI Action Summit events. The outcome of this meeting will be the announcement of an initiative, “Hollywood for a New Enlightenment,” on March 1, 2025, the eve of Oscar 2025. Hollywood’s unique ability to inspire and shape global culture positions its leaders and creatives as essential contributors to the ethical and imaginative development of the Artificial Intelligence World Society (AIWS).

Please provide feedback to: [email protected]

1925 saw the release of The Big Parade, one of the earliest Hollywood films. A story set in France, it captured the impact upon one individual—his life, his loyalties, and his loves—of a global war.

One hundred years later, France is host to another event of global dimensions: the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, to be held in Paris on February 10 and 11. It will look into a future where the threats of war are as plausible as the promise of peace, a world whose order will profoundly affect the life, happiness, and opportunities for every human being.

The Boston Global Forum is proud to be part of this effort, a hope for a New Paris of Enlightenment. We hope you can be too.

In 2018, French President Macron initiated the Paris Peace Forum to encourage collective governance and international cooperation in tackling global challenges. In the realm of technology, he has been a leader in advancing artificial intelligence for France and Europe, emphasizing the need for Europe to invest strategically in AI to remain competitive globally while seeking approaches to AI that strengthen the tech community and enhance democratic governance. His values as much as his vision informed the decision to confer upon him the 2024 Boston Global Forum’s World Leader for Peace and Security Award.

In his acceptance speech, President Macron highlighted the power of face and voice—the two hallmarks of motion pictures and the creative community—saying he “wanted to take the time to tell you this warmly, through this message read aloud—this oral reading remains, in these times of artificial intelligence, perhaps the most revolutionary of practices, the best guarantee against deep fakes.” He continued with an assertion of his belief “that we all have an interest in maintaining both composure and reason in the face of artificial intelligence, often described in Promethean terms. We must build a collective agenda to democratize artificial intelligence, make it more sustainable from environmental and social perspectives, and create inclusive governance that brings together all countries and all stakeholders who need to be involved—social partners, artists, even teachers. It will involve articulating responses to risks and support for innovation.”

You are part of that truly inclusive governance that we seek. And we hope you will find the time to join us at an online conversation with global leaders attending the Paris summit. Your participation in “Hollywood at the AI Action Summit and a New Paris of Enlightenment” will be deeply meaningful.

This is the moment to parade our hopes, our sense of possibility, our ideas. And to do so big.

Warm regards,

Governor Michael Dukakis, Co-founder and Co-Chair of Boston Global Forum

Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-founder, Co-Chair, and CEO of Boston Global Forum