During the first semester of the 2022/23 academic year, the Technology and Innovation Policy Centre will be focusing on the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on policy-making. One specific example is the widespread, unchecked use of deepfakes which perpetuates the popularization of the “fake news” trend that has infiltered current international relations. The Policy Centre’s research team will focus on the impact of these innovations of technological warfare and propose new and inventive policies which aim to counter their effects. Strictly connected with the discussions linked around the use of AI, the PC will also focus on the role of disinformation and cyberwarfare in contemporary politics and geopolitical relations, specifically the ways in which the EU can stand up against Russian and Chinese cyber-attacks. This topic will be viewed through the lens of a post-COVID world, where governmental information operations are increasingly moving to the online world, presenting thus entirely new security threats.
The Policy Centre’s theme for the second semester on other technologies, outside of the cyberspace and reflecting the expertise of our varied working members, which will also have a large impact on the innovation of governmental, economic, and public policies. These technologies will have to be regulated by policies that enable and empower innovative change, whilst also bridging the digital divide and providing adequate regulation, play an increasingly significant role in realising a modern and accessible world for all. For example, the advancement of nanotechnologies in medicine, or the advancement of virtual realities, like the Metaverse, and the significant repercussions that these innovations could have in the daily functioning of governmental and political structures.
For the first annual KTT Conference, the Technology and Innovation Policy Centre will lead a panel on the “Digitalisation of Identity”. One of the most pressing needs for the UNHCR is the development of technologies to facilitate the digitalization of identity papers, specifically in regards to the current refugee crisis (Afghanistan and Ukraine); the lack of a documented identity constitutes for vulnerable and already marginalized people a constant risk of transgressing the lines between legal and illegal.
At the Technology and Innovation Policy Centre, we welcome any ideas or contributions you may have and would like to encourage you to join the debate on these topics. If you are interested in participating in our work, please contact kingsthinktank.ktt@gmail.com for more information.
Greta Ghiringhelli
Director, Technology & Innovation Policy Centre
Our Policy Centre:
Greta Ghiringhelli
Director
My name is Greta, and I am a third-year International Relations student, with an academic specialisation in EU policies and their role in international affairs. My research interests include the sustainable development of European digitalisation, specifically the ways in which technology and innovation can impact governance and conflict management.
Outside of work, you can find me captaining KCL’s fencing team, booking tickets for concerts and plays, or exploring art museums!
Mehmet Temur
Editor
I am Mehmet, a first-year Politics student with a keen interest in the regulation of the tech industry and its wider sociopolitical implications, particularly on free speech and disinformation. In my spare time, I enjoy learning foreign languages, playing the piano, and trying new coffee shops.
Our Working Group:
Halin Lee
I’m a third-year Digital Media and Culture student. I have a particular interest in the impact of emerging technologies on human interaction and cultural entrepreneurship for social change. In my spare time, you can probably find me DJing or eating food inside and taking pictures or buying clothes outside.
Tanya Lim
I’m a second-year Economics student with a keen interest in Government Technology and Innovation. I am particularly eager to understand how artificial intelligence shapes the functioning of democracies globally; and the pivotal role of emerging communication platforms in conflicts and peacetime. Outside school, I can be found running around London while listening to podcasts on Southeast Asia issues.
Veronica Orbecchi
I am Veronica and I am currently doing my master’s in Neuroscience. I really enjoy learning about the ethics of human enhancement technologies and how these should be regulated. I wrote my undergraduate dissertation on policies for performance-enhancement drugs in gyms, and find it even more fascinating to think about how innovations like genetic engineering play into the enhancement debate. Beyond academics, I enjoy bouldering and any other mountain sport!
Oliver Tate
I’m Oli, a second-year War Studies student. My research interests include areas such as AI, surveillance, big data, tech company regulation and information warfare. I’m also interested in the relationship between technology, privacy, and censorship and understanding the best ways we can uphold democratic principles whilst also tackling dangerous content. In my spare time, I enjoy playing guitar.
