Acceptance Speech by Audrey Tang

Acceptance Speech by Audrey Tang

Cyber Ambassador of Taiwan
Recipient of the World Leader in AI World Society Award
Harvard University, Loeb House – 17 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA
April 22, 2025 | 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM EDT

Governor Dukakis, Co-Chairs Mr. Tuan and Professor Patterson, distinguished guests—good morning.

Standing in Harvard’s Loeb House to receive the World Leader in AIWS Award, I feel honored — and compelled. Climate shocks, border crises, cyber-conflict: today’s threats travel at machine speed, yet their solutions still rely on the tempo of human trust. Our task is to keep that trust synchronized—twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

People often ask what a “Cyber Ambassador” does. I answer: I help societies steer through transformative technologies. The word cyber comes from the Greek kybernetes, “to steer,” and it was Norbert Wiener who gave “cybernetics” its modern meaning here in Boston.

Today’s Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7 shows how purposeful steering can turn artificial intelligence into assistive intelligence, technology that amplifies our collective wisdom and compassion.

Why does this matter? Consider five sets of figures from Taiwan’s past decade of digital democracy:

  • First, over 20 000 participants in the g0v civic-tech network have “forked” government websites into open-source versions that citizens actually prefer.
  • Second, 500 000 citizens joined the 2014 Sunflower rallies, livestreamed by those same volunteers, pushing the government to adopt radical transparency as our national ethos.
  • Third, The gov.tw platform—visited by 10 000 people every day—has given everyone in Taiwan a direct voice in policy, and 80 % of issues deliberated on vTaiwan have led to decisive action.
  • Fourth, During COVID-19, an open-data “mask map” went live in 48 hours; Taiwan avoided lockdowns entirely, yet our economy grew by more than 12 % during the three years of pandemic.
  • Last but not the least, today 91 % of Taiwanese say democracy is “fairly good”, our 15 years olds top the world in terms of civic knowledge, and and we rank among the least socially polarized societies globally.

And because no democracy is an island—not even Taiwan—those civic muscles must expand across oceans, cultures, and time zones. When one society’s guardrails wobble, tremors ripple everywhere.

I accept this award on behalf of communities that made those numbers possible. Their lesson is simple: sunlight is an immunization against manipulation. That’s the lesson of every number I just shared.

Looking ahead, I pledge two principles:

1.   Prosocial Participation

Every stakeholder—citizen, startup, civil-society group—deserves a real-time seat at the policy table. Pilots in Bowling Green, Kentucky and the “Engaged California” platform are bringing the Taiwan model here to the US.

2.   Plurality over Polarization

Diversity is not noise; it is a chorus. Deliberative systems must surface shared ground without erasing minority insight, proving that the remedy for polarization is not fewer voices, but more choices. Here in the US, the Utah Digital Choice Act paves the ground of freedom of movement across social networks.

Let me end by returning to its beginning, by reading a poem I wrote in 2016 — my Job Description:

When we see “internet of things,” let’s make it an internet of beings. When we see “virtual reality,” let’s make it a shared reality.

When we see “machine learning,” let’s make it collaborative learning. When we see “user experience,” let’s make it about human experience.

When we hear “the singularity is near,” let us remember: the Plurality is here.

 May 2025 be remembered as the year we chose transparency over fear, collaboration over coercion, and vigilance over complacency.

Today, I am proud to serve, and prouder still to learn with all of you. Remember, Taiwan can help—and so can Boston, Tokyo, and every community that believes we can free the future — together.

Thank you for your kind attention. Live long and prosper

Pioneering the Future: Unique Ideas in the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7

Pioneering the Future: Unique Ideas in the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7

On April 22, 2025, at Harvard University’s Loeb House, the Boston Global Forum (BGF) will unveil the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7, a visionary framework to transform finance into a force for good. Inspired by Élisabeth Moreno’s call to power progress 24/7 and the Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security, this Accord redefines AI-driven finance with bold, pioneering ideas blending ethics, inclusion, and global unity. Here are its most groundbreaking innovations, lighting the path to a new financial enlightenment.

1. Measuring Values: Trust Score and Peace Finance Index

The Accord operationalizes transparency and equity through a pioneering Metrics Framework in the AIWS Knowledge System. The Trust Score (0-100) quantifies trust via transparency (30%, e.g., blockchain audits), user satisfaction (30%, via surveys), ethical compliance (20%, per AIWS 7-Layer Ethical Model), and reliability (20%, e.g., 99.9% uptime), targeting 80+ by 2027. It ensures platforms like Awa’s solar project in Senegal are trusted.

The Peace Finance Index measures social impact, combining financial inclusion (40%, e.g., serving 1.2 billion unbanked, per World Bank), gender equity (30%, e.g., 20% more women’s loans by 2028), and economic stability (30%, e.g., 5% Gini coefficient reduction), aiming for 10% improvement in regions like Ha Long Bay by 2028. A BGF Task Force for Financial Metrics, launching May 2025, will design these KPIs with global stakeholders—a first in AI governance.

2. Democratizing Finance: AIWS Citizen Forum

The AIWS Citizen Forum, launching Q3 2025 by Enlightenment in Action Alliance (EAA) members, empowers 1,000 participants globally to co-design tools like digital wallets and budgeting dashboards. Using AI-assisted deliberation (e.g., Polis platform), citizen juries (100 members per pilot) ensure inclusivity. Blockchain-verified votes and offline kiosks bridge digital divides, scaling to 50,000 users by 2027. This transparency, inspired by Audrey Tang, makes citizens architects of finance, as Moreno’s “democratization” envisions.

3. Uniting the Globe: Boston Ethics Finance Protocol (ABEHP)

The Boston Ethics Finance Protocol (ABEHP) prevents ethical arbitrage, standardizing AI auditing across G7/G20 for bias (90% bias-free decisions), transparency (100% blockchain traceability), and inclusivity (20% underserved access by 2028). A Q4 2025 summit launches ABEHP, with 2027 pilots (e.g., Japan’s digital yen, France’s green bonds) targeting 50% G20 adoption by 2028. Coordinated by BGF’s Global Alliance for Digital Governance with 5% tax-break incentives, ABEHP fosters trust, echoing Moreno’s “unity.”

4. Ethical Innovation: AIWS Finance Labs and Cybersecurity Hubs

AIWS Finance Labs in Boston, Tokyo, and Nha Trang fund 1,000 startups by 2028 (50% women- or minority-led) with $100M, supporting projects like Senegal’s solar initiatives. Photonic computing cuts AI energy use by 30% by 2027, aligning with BGF’s 2030 carbon-neutral goal. Fifty FFRI-inspired cybersecurity hubs, modeled on Japan’s cyber defense, ensure 99.9% threat detection by 2028, safeguarding finance.

5. Trust Through Recognition: AIWS Ethical Finance Leadership Award

The AIWS Ethical Finance Leadership Award, starting 2025, honors leaders and firms for transparency, fairness, and public service. Recognizing role models like Moreno’s Ring Capital, it fosters ethical excellence, inspiring action as in The Laughing Knight’s triumph.

Shinzo Abe – Inaugural Film of the AIWS Film Park’s Esteemed Leaders Series

Shinzo Abe – Inaugural Film of the AIWS Film Park’s Esteemed Leaders Series

The Shinzo Abe Film, the inaugural production of the AIWS Film Park’s Esteemed Leaders Series, honors Shinzo Abe, recipient of the 2015 World Leader for Peace and Security Award. This cinematic tribute celebrates his visionary leadership, which reshaped Japan’s role on the global stage and continues to inspire democratic cooperation through the Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security of the Boston Global Forum (BGF).

Produced by BGF and the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation, the film is crafted in a lyrical, epic, and poetic style. It captures key historical moments, transformative decisions, emotional reflections—including the tragedy of his assassination—and the profound resilience that defined his leadership.

Leveraging the AI-powered capabilities of the AIWS Film Park’s StudioVerse, the film integrates:

  • Real-time AI-assisted editing
  • VR/AR immersive scenes
  • iPhone-shot personal footage
  • And a globally resonant visual palette—featuring the beauty of Japanese culture (Cherry Blossoms, Mount Fuji) alongside global landmarks in Boston, Tokyo, Paris, Nha Trang, and Harvard.

Rooted in the values of the AI World Society (AIWS), the 7-Layer Ethical Framework, and aligned with the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7, this film embodies the spirit of global enlightenment, courage, and cooperation. It invites audiences around the world to reflect on a legacy that continues to guide a peaceful and principled future.

Esteemed Leaders: Stories of Vision and Virtue from the AIWS Film Park

Esteemed Leaders: Stories of Vision and Virtue from the AIWS Film Park

The AIWS Film Park, launched by the Boston Global Forum on March 11, 2025, proudly unveils its Esteemed Leaders Series, a groundbreaking collection of short films celebrating the lives and legacies of remarkable global figures. Beginning with recipients of the World Leader for Peace and Security Award and the World Leader in AIWS Award, this series captures significant, memorable, and historical stories of leaders who have shaped our world with courage, vision, and compassion.

Crafted in a bold new cinematic format, these films blend AI-driven storytelling, immersive visuals, and emotional depth to touch the hearts of viewers. Powered by the innovative tools of AIWS Film Park’s StudioVerse—featuring real-time AI editing, VR/AR capabilities, and ethical production values aligned with AIWS’s 7-Layer Ethical Model and the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7—each short film delivers a powerful narrative in a compact, impactful package. Filmmakers leverage accessible technologies, such as iPhones for high-quality video capture, enhanced by StudioVerse’s advanced post-production to democratize creation. Designed to inspire and resonate, the series invites audiences to reflect on leadership, humanity, and a better future.

The films showcase noble, beautiful scenes from global cultural and intellectual hubs: Boston, Washington DC, Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Nha Trang, Ha Long; iconic castles, palaces, classical concert halls; prestigious offices of presidents and prime ministers; intellectual capitals like Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, Oxford, Cambridge; and breathtaking national parks with legendary stories. Screenwriting embraces a lyrical, epic, and poetic style, weaving narratives that elevate the soul.

The inaugural film honors Shinzo Abe, 2015 World Leader for Peace and Security Award Recipient, a visionary whose Indo-Pacific strategy and commitment to global cooperation continue to inspire AIWS’s mission. Through evocative visuals, heartfelt storytelling, and cutting-edge technology, this film sets the tone for a series that illuminates the triumphs and trials of esteemed leaders, fostering global enlightenment in the AI Age.

Join us on this cinematic journey, where history meets innovation, and stories of leadership stir the soul.

 

Historic Step in AI and Culture: AIWS Film Park to Launch “StudioVerse” – A Global Network of Studios

Historic Step in AI and Culture: AIWS Film Park to Launch “StudioVerse” – A Global Network of Studios

Boston – April 20, 2025
In a transformative move that merges technology, ethics, and artistic vision, the AIWS Film Park, an initiative of the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the AI World Society (AIWS), announces the creation of StudioVerse—a groundbreaking global network of AI-powered studios dedicated to advancing peace, democracy, and enlightened creativity through film and immersive storytelling.

StudioVerse will connect a worldwide constellation of creative studios, leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence to enable collaborative production, multilingual storytelling, real-time editing, and AI-assisted filmmaking. This initiative marks a new chapter in the integration of technology and cultural diplomacy.

StudioVerse is founded on four core missions:

  • Documenting the lives and legacies of esteemed world leaders who promote peace, democracy, and innovation—including figures such as Shinzo Abe, Governor Michael Dukakis, Audrey Tang, and President Emmanuel Macron.
  • Promoting AIWS standards and values—pluralism, freedom, human rights, and ethical AI—through digital art and cinematic storytelling.
  • Creating immersive, AI-assisted experiences for public diplomacy, civic engagement, and education that inspire reflection, dialogue, and global cooperation.
  • Supporting youth voices and local creativity with a global reach, especially through collaboration with the Enlightenment in Action Alliance (EAA)—a vibrant community of outstanding students from top universities including Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, Columbia, Yale, Oxford, and Cambridge.

StudioVerse represents a new civilization of creativity, where AI and humanity co-author the stories that define our shared AIWS values and standards,” said Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-Founder, Co-Chair, and CEO of the Boston Global Forum.

Rooted in the vision of AIWS for the New Democracy, StudioVerse will act as a cultural and intellectual force for good—using technology not only to entertain, but to enlighten, unite, and elevate. Through its films, experiences, and educational tools, StudioVerse will empower emerging leaders and global audiences to shape a future grounded in ethical innovation and human dignity.