by Editor BGF | May 18, 2025 | News
May 12, 2025 | Nha Trang, Vietnam
On May 12, 2025, in Nha Trang, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-Chair and CEO of the Boston Global Forum (BGF), held an official meeting with Mr. Nghiem Xuan Thanh, Head of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee—the highest-ranking leader of Khanh Hoa Province—alongside Vice Governor Dinh Van Thieu and other senior provincial officials to discuss the development of the AIWS Film Park in Nha Trang.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA) and Tram Huong Khanh Hoa, underscoring strong national and local support for the project.
During the discussion, BGF presented its vision for the AIWS Film Park, a pioneering initiative that will combine artificial intelligence, cultural heritage, and cinematic innovation to promote the values of peace, enlightenment, and ethical technology. The park is set to become a landmark for creativity, education, and tourism in the region.
Leaders of Khanh Hoa Province expressed enthusiastic support for the initiative, welcoming the opportunity to make Nha Trang a hub for cutting-edge film production and AI innovation. They affirmed their commitment to collaborate with BGF, VFDA, and relevant stakeholders to facilitate the development of the project.
The AIWS Film Park in Nha Trang is expected to play a significant role in promoting Vietnam’s cultural soft power on the global stage while advancing the ethical use of AI in the creative industries.
https://baokhanhhoa.vn/chinh-tri/202505/bi-thu-tinh-uy-nghiem-xuan-thanh-lam-viec-voi-dai-dien-hiep-hoi-phat-trien-dien-anh-viet-nam-7df532d/
https://tienphong.vn/bi-thu-tinh-uy-khanh-hoa-lam-viec-voi-hiep-hoi-phat-trien-dien-anh-viet-nam-ve-du-an-lang-hoa-binh-sang-tao-nha-trang-post1742207.tpo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUDfSsenDI4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgNHB3klrJM
by Editor BGF | May 18, 2025 | News
By Yasuhide Nakayama | May 6, 2025
Representative of the Boston Global Forum (BGF) in Japan and Taiwan
Former Japanese State Minister Yasuhide Nakayama, Representative of the Boston Global Forum (BGF) in Japan and Taiwan, responded to two significant bipartisan bills passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 5, 2025, reinforcing support for Taiwan and countering China’s diplomatic distortions.
- The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act (HR1512) requires biennial reviews of the U.S. State Department’s Taiwan Guidelines, aiming to lift self-imposed restrictions and deepen substantive U.S.-Taiwan relations.
- The Taiwan International Solidarity Act (HR2416) clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not define Taiwan’s sovereignty or international status. It opposes China’s use of the resolution to exclude Taiwan from global institutions and encourages international support for Taiwan’s participation.
Nakayama commended these legislative moves as a bold affirmation of the U.S.’s commitment to defending democracy and Taiwan’s dignity. He urged the Japanese Diet to pay close attention and respond with similar determination, stressing that Japan must act with conviction as tensions around Taiwan increasingly affect Japan’s own security.
Highlighting that the Japan-U.S. alliance is built not just on defense but on shared democratic values, he called for deeper parliamentary cooperation with the U.S. Congress and emphasized that defending freedom and democracy is a responsibility to future generations.
Nakayama concluded by expressing his personal commitment to this cause as a private citizen, vowing to continue advocating for “politics that protects lives.”
The bills now move to the U.S. Senate for consideration and potential enactment.
Please see full here: https://ameblo.jp/nakayamayasuhide/entry-12900920269.html
by Editor BGF | May 18, 2025 | News, Shaping Futures
This new device uses light to perform the key operations of a deep neural network on a chip, opening the door to high-speed processors that can learn in real-time.
The deep neural network models that power today’s most demanding machine-learning applications have grown so large and complex that they are pushing the limits of traditional electronic computing hardware.
Photonic hardware, which can perform machine-learning computations with light, offers a faster and more energy-efficient alternative. However, there are some types of neural network computations that a photonic device can’t perform, requiring the use of off-chip electronics or other techniques that hamper speed and efficiency.
Building on a decade of research, scientists from MIT and elsewhere have developed a new photonic chip that overcomes these roadblocks. They demonstrated a fully integrated photonic processor that can perform all the key computations of a deep neural network optically on the chip.
The optical device was able to complete the key computations for a machine-learning classification task in less than half a nanosecond while achieving more than 92 percent accuracy — performance that is on par with traditional hardware.
The chip, composed of interconnected modules that form an optical neural network, is fabricated using commercial foundry processes, which could enable the scaling of the technology and its integration into electronics.
Please see full here: https://news.mit.edu/2024/photonic-processor-could-enable-ultrafast-ai-computations-1202
by Editor BGF | May 18, 2025 | Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security, News
The trial of a man accused of assassinating former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 is expected to begin on Oct 28, sources at the Nara District Court said on Thursday.
Tetsuya Yamagami, 44, is accused of fatally shooting Abe with a homemade gun while he gave a speech at an election campaign rally in front of Kintetsu Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara City on July 8, 2022.
The trial is expected to be heard by lay judges, NHK reported. So far, six “pretrial arrangement procedures” have been conducted since October 2023, in which the court, prosecutors and defense team narrowed down the evidence and issues to be raised. A seventh procedure is scheduled to take place on May 27.
Yamagami has told police that he shot Abe out of a growing resentment toward the World Peace Unification Family (formerly the Unification Church), to which his mother had made large donations 20 years earlier. He said he targeted Abe because of his perceived links to the church.
Yamagami has also been indicted on charges of violating the Weapons Manufacturing Act, the Explosives Control Act, as well as the Swords and Firearms Control Act for manufacturing multiple guns and gunpowder without a license.
A psychiatric evaluation of Yamagami concluded last June that he was mentally fit to be held criminally responsible for his actions. The defense did not contest the results of the evaluation.
The trial is expected to last about three months with a verdict likely in January 2026.
https://japantoday.com/category/crime/trial-of-former-pm-abe%E2%80%99s-accused-killer-expected-to-begin-on-oct-28
by Editor BGF | May 18, 2025 | World Leader for Peace and Security, News, World Leaders in AIWS Award Updates
Audrey Tang, 2025 World Leader in AIWS Award Recipient, coauthored an essay highlighting the need for AI tools that support meaningful civic discourse in the face of rampant polarization and mistrust.
The essay is part of a series published by McGill’s Centre for Media, Technology, and Democracy, Mila, and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. The full series is accessible here.
Democracy has undergone profound changes over the past decade, shaped by rapid technological, social, and political transformations. Across the globe, citizens are demanding more meaningful and sustained engagement in governance—especially around emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), which increasingly shape the contours of public life.
From world-leading experts in deliberative democracy, civic technology, and AI governance we introduce a seven-part essay series exploring how deliberative democratic processes like citizen’s assemblies and civic tech can strengthen AI governance. The essays follow from a workshop on “Democratic Legitimacy for AI: Deliberative Approaches to Inclusive Governance” held in Vancouver in March 2025, in partnership with Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue.
https://www.mediatechdemocracy.com/deliberative-approaches-to-inclusive-governance
