Digital Statecraft framework outlines 10 principles for governing AI in government
16 researchers propose a new field to govern the algorithmic age—with a tension at its core.
Zeynep Engin and 15 co-authors introduce 'digital statecraft' as a framework for governing the digital substrate of states. The concept has two dimensions: statecraft over digital systems and statecraft with algorithmic tools. It rests on a foundational tension between technical coherence and legitimate authority, yielding 10 principles such as 'public interest first', 'human-machine complementarity', and 'governability by design'. The paper argues digital fundamentally reconstitutes statecraft, not just extends it.
- Digital statecraft has two dimensions: governing over digital systems and governing with algorithmic tools.
- Foundational tension between technical coherence (systems must work) and legitimate authority (systems must be accountable).
- Ten principles include 'public interest first', 'human-machine complementarity', 'governability by design', and 'non-delegable core'.
Why It Matters
Provides a rigorous foundation for governments to legitimately regulate AI, data, and algorithms in an era of rapid digital transformation.