BGF Conference: Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7
📍 Harvard University Loeb House, 17 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA
📅 Tuesday, April 22, 2025
🕗 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM EDT
8:00 AM – 8:20 AM Registration & Welcome Coffee
Arrival and networking for global leaders and innovators.
8:20 AM – 8:30 AM Welcome Remarks Speaker: Thomas Patterson, Co-Founder of the Boston Global Forum, Harvard Professor
Introduction to the conference’s purpose: ethical AI governance for finance.
Reflections on AIWS’s legacy, the Tokyo Accord, and Shinzo Abe’s vision.
Video Message: Minister Minoru Kiuchi on Japan’s role in AI-driven governance.
8:30 AM – 8:45 AM Opening Remarks Speakers:
Governor Michael Dukakis, Co-Chair and Co-Founder, BGF
Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-Chair, CEO and Co-Founder, BGF
Launching the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7, a cornerstone of AIWS Government 24/7.
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM Award Ceremony: 2025 World Leader in AIWS Honoree: Audrey Tang, Cyber Ambassador of Taiwan
Remarks of Honor: Governor Michael Dukakis
Presentation: Nguyen Anh Tuan
Acceptance Speech, Audrey Tang
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM Distinguished Address Speaker: Elisabeth Moreno, Chairwoman of Ring Capital, Former French Minister
“Powering Progress 24/7: Finance as a Force for Good”
9:15 AM – 10:30 AM Official Launch & Panel Discussion: The Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7
Official launch of the Accord, followed by a discussion on its role in ethical, AI-powered financial systems.
Introduction: Cameron Sabet, Member of the Enlightenment in Action Alliance (EAA), Medical Journalist, Venture Capitalist
Presenting the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7
Moderator: Elisabeth Moreno
Panelists (5-minute remarks each):
Audrey Tang, Cyber Ambassador of Taiwan
David Silbersweig, Harvard Medical School Professor, BGF Board Member
Nazli Choucri, MIT Professor, BGF Board Member
Kamal Malhotra, Former UN Resident Coordinator
Bruce Schneier, Cybersecurity Expert
Alex Pentland, MIT Professor (Video)
Cameron Sabet, Medical Journalist, Venture Capitalist
Discussion Themes:
Ethical AI in finance.
Public-private collaboration.
Citizen trust and democratic participation.
Real-time financial governance in the AI Age.
Q&A Session (15 minutes)
10:30 AM – 10:50 AM Strategic Dialogue: Toward a New Economic Alliance
A call for cooperation among the US, Japan, India, Vietnam, South Korea, EU, and UK to strengthen economic resilience, building on the April 12, 2025, BGF statement.
Introduction: Thomas Patterson (brief overview) Speaker: Mark Kennedy, Former U.S. Congressman Followed by Discussion (audience Q&A, moderated by Thomas Patterson)
10:50 AM – 11:20 AM AIWS Film Park Introduction & Screening Presented by: Thomas Patterson, Harvard Professor
Yasuhide Nakayama, Former Japanese State Minister of Foreign Affairs
Haideh Sabet, Georgetown Professor
Overview of AIWS Film Park (launched March 11, 2025), a pioneering innovation integrating storytelling, AI, and trust-building values, aligned with the AI World Society,
Introduction of Esteemed Leaders Series productions
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,
Governor Michael Dukakis
World Leaders for Peace and Security Award recipients
Boston Global Forum Statement Date: April 12, 2025
The recent tariff policy announced by President Donald Trump and members of his Cabinet marks an important decision in U.S. economic and strategic policy. It underscores the growing importance of alliances and economic partnerships between the United States and key democratic nations in the Indo-Pacific and transatlantic regions.
As highlighted by President Trump and the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, the strengthening of economic ties with Japan, India, Vietnam, and South Korea reflects a broader vision of cooperative resilience among like-minded democracies. This presents a timely opportunity to form a new economic alliance that includes the United States, Japan, India, Vietnam, South Korea, the European Union, and the United Kingdom—nations that share common values, uphold the rule of law, and face shared challenges and threats.
The Boston Global Forum is prepared to convene high-level discussions to help shape a rules-based economic framework grounded in transparency, innovation, fairness, and mutual benefit. This vision aligns with the principles of the AI World Society (AIWS) and the Social Contract for the AI Age.
Such an alliance will strengthen trust among its members and provide a strong counterbalance to strategic threats. It will also lay the foundation for a new era of economic cooperation, technological advancement, and democratic stability in the Age of AI.
From the enduring Indo-Pacific vision championed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe—recipient of the World Leader for Peace and Security Award—emerges a bold new initiative to forge a New Economic Alliance among trusted partners. This initiative builds upon Abe’s strategic framework, uniting countries such as the United States, Japan, India, South Korea, and Vietnam in a rules-based, transparent, and innovation-driven economic collaboration.
In recent remarks at the American Bankers Association, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the urgency of confronting global economic threats and reducing dependence on authoritarian systems. His call for coordinated trade strategies among Indo-Pacific democracies—particularly the U.S., Japan, India, Vietnam, and South Korea—marks a significant step toward realizing Abe’s vision of an interconnected and resilient regional framework.
The proposed New Economic Alliance is not only about trade—it is about trust, technological cooperation, and shared democratic values. As AI and digital infrastructure reshape the future of governance and the global economy, this alliance can become a pillar of stability and prosperity in an increasingly volatile world.
At the 4th Shinzo Abe Conference, Professor Yutaka Matsuo—renowned AI expert, Chairperson of the Japan Deep Learning Association, member of Japan’s AI Strategy Council, and External Board Director at SoftBank Group Corp.—delivered an insightful presentation on the role of advanced AI and robotics in enabling Government 24/7 systems.
He emphasized that despite the growing capabilities of AI, the internal workings of large-scale neural networks remain partially mysterious, but research is gradually revealing their structures and mechanisms.
Professor Matsuo then transitioned to robotics, sharing Japan’s progress in developing intelligent, responsive robots. By integrating LLMs, robots can now translate human instructions into smooth, actionable commands—demonstrated through robots that can perform household tasks like folding laundry and assembling boxes. He referenced pioneering work such as Pi Zero by Physicalai and recent breakthroughs by Google in robotic manipulation.
To support the development of robotic foundation models, Professor Matsuo introduced the newly launched IOA – AI Robot Association, which will lead Japan’s efforts to build an open, global platform for sharing robotic data and accelerating innovation. This initiative aims to power AI-enabled systems that support continuous, intelligent public services—key to realizing the vision of Government 24/7.
He concluded by underscoring the critical role of AI and robotics in addressing societal challenges such as labor shortages, and called for international collaboration to advance trustworthy, inclusive AI for governance and public good.
In the Age of AI, financial institutions face growing public scrutiny and trust deficits rooted in concerns over transparency, fairness, ethical behavior, and human dignity. To address these challenges and shape a more trustworthy and inclusive financial system, the AI World Society (AIWS) proposes the following contributions as part of the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7:
Promote Transparent and Ethical AI Governance:
AIWS will develop and encourage adoption of AIWS Ethical Standards for Financial AI Systems to ensure fairness, explainability, and transparency in AI-driven financial decision-making. Through partnerships with regulatory agencies and financial leaders, AIWS will support the implementation of AI auditing mechanisms and explainable AI (XAI) frameworks that align with democratic values and human rights.
Develop Human-Centric Digital Finance Platforms:
Inspired by the AIWS Government 24/7 model, AIWS advocates for financial platforms that prioritize citizen engagement, empathy, and accessibility. Broad listening methodologies—enabling inclusive, participatory dialogue—will be incorporated into the design and delivery of financial services to rebuild public confidence and responsiveness.
Build Trust Frameworks and AI Ethics Scorecards:
AIWS will design and promote a Trustworthiness Scorecard for AI in Finance, enabling institutions to benchmark their performance in areas such as ethical integrity, transparency, data responsibility, and user-centered service. This initiative aims to reinforce institutional accountability while fostering trust among users and the wider public.
Facilitate Multi-Stakeholder Deliberation Forums:
To democratize the shaping of AI in finance, AIWS will convene deliberative forums—both physical and virtual—bringing together citizens, technologists, policymakers, and industry leaders. These AI-assisted citizen assemblies will help co-create regulatory frameworks and platform governance practices grounded in public values.
Champion Democratic Finance in the AI Economy:
AIWS will advocate for a new model of Democratic Finance, where financial institutions are guided by principles of inclusivity, social responsibility, and sustainability. A proposed AIWS Democratic Finance Charter will serve as a voluntary commitment for institutions that align financial growth with human-centered and equitable development.
Advance AI and Financial Literacy for All:
Recognizing the need for greater public understanding of finance and AI, AIWS will partner with educational institutions and media to develop open-access resources that promote digital and financial literacy. These efforts will demystify AI, empower informed choices, and reduce inequality in access to financial tools and knowledge.
Recognize Ethical Leadership and Best Practices:
To elevate role models and innovations, AIWS will launch an annual AIWS Ethical Finance Leadership Prize. This recognition will honor financial leaders and organizations that demonstrate outstanding commitment to transparency, fairness, and public service in the deployment of AI technologies.
