by Editor BGF | Sep 21, 2025 | World Leader for Peace and Security, News, World Leaders in AIWS Award Updates
Sanae Takaichi, recipient of the 2023 World Leader in AIWS Award, has formally announced her candidacy for the leadership of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). In declaring her bid, Takaichi emphasized the need for politics that can transform “anxieties about the future into dreams and hopes” and deliver strong leadership to overcome crises facing Japan.
As a member of the BGF–AIWS Family, Takaichi’s leadership continues to embody the mission of AIWS: advancing ethical governance, innovation, and human-centered values in the Age of AI. Her candidacy also reflects the enduring influence of Shinzo Abe’s legacy, particularly his vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and his commitment to democratic resilience.
Her bid for party leadership highlights how BGF–AIWS honorees are not only recognized for past achievements but continue to shape national and global futures—linking ethical leadership with strategic action in an age of profound transformation.
🔗 Nippon.com – Takaichi Announces Candidacy for LDP Leader
https://japantoday.com/category/politics/Japan-is-back-‘Takaichi-says-as-she-announces-candidacy-for-LDP-leadership
by Editor BGF | Sep 21, 2025 | News
On September 18, 2025, President Donald J. Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed the Technology Prosperity Deal (TPD), a landmark agreement to deepen transatlantic cooperation in artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, and quantum computing. The deal strengthens joint initiatives between U.S. and UK research institutions, aligning standards for AI safety, accelerating breakthroughs in biotechnology, advancing fusion and nuclear energy independence, and creating interoperable frameworks for quantum technologies.
For the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and AI World Society (AIWS), this milestone reflects the growing importance of international cooperation to ensure that advanced technologies are guided by ethics, democratic values, and human dignity. The TPD exemplifies how global partnerships can advance innovation while embedding the principles of AIWS Government 24/7 and AIWS Standards and Values—building a safer and more prosperous future in the AI Age.
🔗 White House – President Trump Signs Technology Prosperity Deal with United Kingdom
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/09/president-trump-signs-technology-prosperity-deal-with-united-kingdom/
by Editor BGF | Sep 16, 2025 | News
Boston, September 16, 2025 – The Boston Global Forum (BGF) is pleased to announce the India Center Foundation (www.indiacenterfoundation.org), based in New Delhi, India, as a strategic partner. Under the leadership of Chairman Vibhav Kant Upadhyay, the India Center Foundation will partner with BGF, and Mr. Upadhyay will serve as the Representative of BGF in India, effective September 16, 2025.
Governor Michael Dukakis, Co-founder and Chair of BGF, welcomed the appointment, recognizing Mr. Upadhyay’s distinguished record of leadership and innovation. Through his work at the India Center Foundation, Mr. Upadhyay has advanced transformative initiatives connecting India with the Indo-Pacific and the global community.
As BGF’s Representative in India, Mr. Upadhyay will play a key role in advancing initiatives such as AIWS Government 24/7, the Boston Finance Accord, AIWS Digital Assets, the BGF–AIWS Family, and the Shinzo Abe Initiative. His leadership will strengthen BGF’s collaboration with India and reinforce the shared mission of building a more peaceful, democratic, and ethical world in the Age of AI.
“Mr. Upadhyay’s vision and leadership will help bring India’s voice and creativity into global dialogues on peace, governance, and innovation,” said Governor Dukakis. “We are honored to have him represent BGF in India.”
by Editor BGF | Sep 14, 2025 | News
Harvard University Loeb House, Cambridge, MA
The Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the AI World Society (AIWS) are proud to announce an exceptional lineup of distinguished speakers for the upcoming BGF Conference on November 4, 2025, titled “Honoring World Leaders, Advancing AI Ethics in Finance, and Esteeming Digital Assets.”
Kanetsugu Mike, President of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) Bank), will deliver a keynote address on advancing AI ethics in finance under the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7. As the head of one of the world’s largest financial institutions, Mr. Mike brings unique insights into responsible innovation and global financial stability in the AI Age.
Professor Tarun Khanna, Harvard Business School, will share his expertise on global entrepreneurship, innovation, and the intersection of ethics and finance in emerging markets. His research and teaching on strategy, innovation, and business in developing countries have shaped leaders worldwide.
Álvaro Rodríguez Arregui, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of IGNIA, will also join as a featured speaker. IGNIA, the first venture capital fund in Mexico, invests in entrepreneurs solving pressing challenges for Latin America’s emerging middle class. Mr. Rodríguez Arregui’s work has received wide recognition: the PODER-ABC Business Award (2011), inclusion in Forbes’ Top 30 Social Entrepreneurs of the World (2012), the YPO SEN Sustainability Award on Economic Justice/Community Impact, and the National Entrepreneurship Award presented by the President of Mexico (2014).
Together, these speakers represent a dynamic intersection of finance, academia, and entrepreneurial innovation. Their contributions will help shape the global conversation on ethical finance, digital assets, and the future of AI governance, key pillars of the BGF–AIWS vision for a safer, fairer, and more enlightened world.
Mitsubishi Bank CEO Kanetsugu Mike
by Editor BGF | Sep 14, 2025 | News
The Boston Global Forum (BGF) affirms that in this moment of historic transition, the Four Pillars of Democracy—the United States, Japan, India, and the European Union–United Kingdom—must act together with urgency and clarity to secure peace, stability, and prosperity for humanity.
The Situation and Challenges
The world faces profound threats: the continuing war in Ukraine, aggressive actions and coercive policies from authoritarian states, economic disruptions from fragile supply chains, and growing risks of technological misuse in the Age of AI. Many democracies continue to trade with regimes that undermine peace and stability, weakening their own collective position. Without unity, the Four Pillars risk fragmentation, leaving space for authoritarian powers to reshape global rules to their advantage.
What Must Be Done
The Four Pillars must consolidate their strength and act in unison through four dimensions:
- Economy and Business – Build trusted, democratic supply chains; reduce dependency on Russia and China; and create an economic front that makes aggression unsustainable.
- Innovation and Technology – Lead in AI, chips, digital assets, and emerging technologies with frameworks that emphasize ethics, transparency, and human dignity. Establish common innovation standards to set the pace for the global economy.
- Security and Peace – Deepen defense and intelligence cooperation, ensuring credible deterrence while pursuing diplomatic pathways that uphold the sovereignty and security of all nations.
- Values and Governance – Promote democracy, rule of law, and human rights as guiding principles for global partnerships. Together, the Four Pillars must show that democratic cooperation delivers stability, prosperity, and peace.
Call to Action
The Boston Global Forum calls on leaders of the United States, Japan, India, and the EU–UK to take bold, coordinated action now. Their shared responsibility is not only to defend their own citizens but also to offer the world a model of peace and security grounded in economy, business, and innovation—anchored by democratic values.
The Four Pillars, united, can define the future: a world where peace is preserved, innovation serves humanity, and democracy prevails in the Age of AI.
by Editor BGF | Sep 14, 2025 | News
The AI World Society (AIWS) recognizes Albania’s bold step in pioneering a digital revolution through the introduction of Diella, the world’s first AI Minister, as a landmark in the history and culture of AI governance.
As reported in Technology.org, Diella represents not only a technological innovation but also a profound cultural shift: the use of AI to combat corruption, increase transparency, and strengthen democracy. By applying AI to governance with ethics and responsibility, Albania is aligning itself with the vision of AIWS Government 24/7—a new model of governance in the Age of AI that ensures accountability, fairness, and continuous public service.
This historic moment will be remembered as a turning point in the AI Age, when a nation harnessed artificial intelligence not as a tool of control, but as an instrument of liberation and reform. Albania’s example inspires the global community to embrace AI with courage, creativity, and ethical guidance—laying the foundation for a more transparent, just, and democratic society.
In the culture of AIWS, Diella symbolizes the promise of technology when combined with human values: to serve humanity, safeguard dignity, and break the grip of corruption.
https://www.technology.org/2025/09/12/albanias-digital-revolution-meet-diella-the-ai-minister-breaking-corruptions-grip/
by Editor BGF | Sep 14, 2025 | News, Shaping Futures
By David S. Duncan, Tyler Anderson, and Jeffrey Saviano – Harvard Business Review, September 2025
Artificial intelligence is not just a tool for consultants—it is transforming the very structure of consulting firms. According to Duncan, Anderson, and Saviano, AI is reshaping how firms organize, deliver value, and engage with clients.
Traditionally, consulting has relied on a pyramid model of partners, managers, and associates, with large teams performing research and analysis. AI now automates much of this work—data collection, benchmarking, and even strategy simulation—flattening the pyramid and reducing reliance on junior consultants. This shift is leading firms toward leaner, more networked structures, where senior experts and AI systems work together to deliver insights faster and more efficiently.
The authors argue that AI empowers firms to move from reactive problem-solving to continuous, predictive strategy, offering clients real-time solutions and governance models rather than episodic reports. It also enables new business models: subscription-based advisory services, AI-enhanced platforms, and partnerships that merge technology with human expertise.
For the BGF–AIWS Family, this evolution highlights a broader truth: AI is not only transforming industries, but also the culture of leadership and governance. As consulting firms adopt flatter, AI-integrated structures, they become a model for how institutions—including governments—can adapt to the AIWS Government 24/7 framework: continuous, ethical, and responsive service in the Age of AI.
📖 Full article available on Harvard Business Review: “AI Is Changing the Structure of Consulting Firms”
https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-is-changing-the-structure-of-consulting-firms
by Editor BGF | Sep 14, 2025 | World Leader for Peace and Security, News, World Leaders in AIWS Award Updates
2020 World Leader for Peace and Security Award Recipient
On September 10, 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, recipient of the 2020 World Leader for Peace and Security Award, delivered her final State of the Union Address before the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
In her speech, von der Leyen emphasized the urgency of defending democracy, securing Europe’s future, and advancing strategic autonomy in a time of growing geopolitical challenges. She highlighted Europe’s solidarity with Ukraine, the need to strengthen European defense through initiatives like the SAFE instrument, and the importance of reducing dependence on authoritarian powers.
Von der Leyen also outlined priorities for the digital and green transitions, focusing on AI, energy security, and technological innovation as central to Europe’s competitiveness and resilience. She underlined that Europe must remain a trustworthy global leader, promoting peace, sustainability, and human dignity while working closely with allies across the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.
For the Boston Global Forum–AIWS Family, this speech reinforces von der Leyen’s enduring role as a leader and a cherished member of our Family, bridging peace, democracy, and technology governance. Her vision resonates deeply with the mission of AIWS to create an ethical, human-centered society in the Age of AI
📖 Full speech available on the European Commission website: State of the Union Address 2025
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_25_2053
by Editor BGF | Sep 14, 2025 | Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security, News
Boston Global Forum (BGF) leaders and close collaborators of the Shinzo Abe Initiative—Yasuhide Nakayama, former Japanese State Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs, and Vibhav Kant Upadhyay, visionary Indian leader and strategist—visited Vietnam for important meetings related to the Shinzo Abe Film, a flagship project of the AIWS Film Park.
On September 16 and 17, 2025, Nakayama and Upadhyay joined Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-founder and Co-Chair of BGF, in Nha Trang to hold discussions with Vietnamese leaders and cultural representatives. The meetings focused on advancing the production of the Shinzo Abe Film, which will honor the late Prime Minister’s enduring legacy of peace, security, and democratic cooperation, while also highlighting Nha Trang as a rising center of cultural and technological innovation in the Age of AI.
The visit also included dialogues on strengthening Vietnam’s engagement in AIWS initiatives such as AIWS Government 24/7, AIWS Digital Assets, and the AIWS Music for Humanity Forum.
This collaboration marks another step in ensuring that Shinzo Abe’s vision—particularly his commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to fostering peace and security worldwide—lives on through culture, film, and innovation.
