The International AI Summit 2025: Explore The Key Names and Debates Shaping This Year's Agenda

One of Europe’s leading gatherings on artificial intelligence policy, the International AI Summit, returns to the Brussels on 11th December. Organised by Forum Global, co-curated with the Forum for Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence (FCAI), and co-located with the EIT Community: Artificial Intelligence, the Summit builds on the momentum of its previous editions. Once again bringing together global leaders to exchange perspectives, address real-world challenges, and explore how AI is reshaping economies, societies, and partnerships worldwide.

With a blend of keynote addresses, high-level panels, and fireside chats, this year’s programme will examine the most pressing questions in AI governance. Covering themes across infrastructure development, AI access and democratisation, standards, safety, and international cooperation, the Summit offers a comprehensive view of a field evolving at extraordinary speed.

High-Level Keynotes to Open the Summit

Two major keynote speakers are confirmed:

• Niamh Smyth, Irish Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation
• Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies

Minister Smyth’s perspective arrives at a critical moment for Ireland. A nation soon to assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU, it was one of the first EU Member States to designate competent authorities for enforcing the AI Act. Indeed, Ireland is increasingly positioned at the forefront of AI innovation and responsible governance and her remarks will no doubt highlight this growing leadership as well as the country’s evolving role in shaping Europe’s AI future.

Representing the UN, Under-Secretary-General Singh Gill will bring a distinctly global lens to the discussion. Likely reflecting on AI’s vast potential to advance development and improve lives worldwide, he will, in doing so, no doubt emphasise the need for greater cooperation, inclusivity, and capacity-building to ensure that AI’s benefits are equitably distributed and accessible to all.

OECD Deputy Secretary-General, Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, delivers a keynote speech at last years edition of the International AI Summit. 

Agenda Highlights: 

Session 1: From Regulation to Innovation – Navigating Europe’s Evolving Relationship with AI

Through the opening session, panelists will delve into Europe’s rapidly evolving relationship with AI, evaluating the region’s shift from a predominantly regulatory posture toward one that increasingly prioritises innovation and development. The discussion will assess the latest adjustments to the AI Act, the emerging Digital Omnibus package, and the expanding suite of initiatives taking shape under the Apply AI Strategy and the broader AI Continental Action Plan.

Featuring the European Commission’s Killian Gross, Michael McNamara MEP, Nikolaj Munch Andersen of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Laetitia Cailleteau of Accenture, and Tjade Stroband of Microsoft, the panel offers a compelling opening salvo. Setting the stage for a deeper exploration of Europe’s digital acquis, its evolution, and the policy and innovation landscape that will define its next chapter.

Right to left: Joshua Meltzer, Andrea Renda, Cameron F. Kerry, and Andy Wyckoff of the Forum for Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence (FCAI) on stage at the International AI Summit 2024.

Session 2: Digital and Physical Infrastructure: Laying the Foundations for a Global AI Revolution

Exploring the dual pillars of AI infrastructure, both physical and digital, Session 2 eyes the growing demand for systems that are not only robust and scalable but, crucially, secure. While such infrastructure is essential for unlocking AI’s full potential, its expansion brings a host of significant, and often highly practical, challenges. The sheer compute requirements, mounting energy and resource pressures, and the need for resilient, high-capacity connectivity all present complex questions for the ecosystem. 

Featuring contributions from Thibaut Kleiner of the European Commission; Dr. Alexandra-Gwyn Paetz of Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space; Pamela Krzypkowska of Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs; and Iveta Lohovska of HPE, the session will offer a broad international perspective on how countries and companies are approaching AI infrastructure expansion.

Key questions driving the discussion include how flagship national and regional AI infrastructure strategies are evolving globally; what the most urgent short, medium, and long-term requirements for AI development are; and how governments and industry are balancing ambitions for AI leadership with emissions targets, energy demand, and resource constraints. The panel will also explore how infrastructure planning can align with green principles to support sustainable, climate-resilient growth.

Panel Discussion: 'The EU AI Act and Global Alignment on AI Regulatory Efforts' at the International AI Summit 2024. 

Session 3: Charting an AI-Ready Future – How do we Seize the Promise of AI?

Featuring Mirlinda Karçanaj, Government of Albania; Kip Wainscott, JPMorgan Chase; Līga Raita Rozentāle, CrowdStrike; and Matthew Jensen, Indeed, Session 3 looks ahead to what it truly means to build an AI-ready future. Moderated by Andrea Renda of CEPS, the panel brings together key stakeholders to examine how AI is reshaping operations, workforce needs, and priorities across the value chain.

While the promise of AI is no doubt immense, the discussion will focus on the practical steps required to future-proof organisations in an increasingly AI-driven economy. Panelists will explore a fundamental question: what could we achieve if we get this transition right?

Following this, a fireside chat will turn to China’s evolving role in the global AI race. Dean Lan Xue and Cameron F. Kerry of the Brookings Institution will unpack shifting geopolitical dynamics and the rapid acceleration of China’s AI capabilities. In the wake of DeepSeek’s widely characterised ‘Sputnik moment,’ global scrutiny of China’s AI trajectory has intensified. This conversation will examine what these developments mean for international policy, heightened competition, and the challenges of maintaining cooperation in a fragmented global environment.

Panel Discussion: 'The EU AI Act and Global Alignment on AI Regulatory Efforts' at the International AI Summit 2024. 

Session 4: AI for All: Bridging the Global Divide Through Cooperation and Capacity

Session 4 turns to AI’s emancipatory potential, examining how to democratise access to AI’s benefits and narrow the digital divide through practical strategies and collaborative action. Panellists will highlight the importance of multilateral cooperation and smart policy frameworks that enable countries and communities to participate fully and meaningfully in the AI era.

Featuring Jason Slater of UNCTAD; Michel Kerf of The World Bank; and Alison Gillwald of Research ICT Africa, the discussion will explore what is required to bridge existing gaps, expand equitable participation, and embed opportunity and trust at the heart of a global AI transition.

Session 5: Establishing Robust AI Standards: Building Trust, Interoperability, and Global Alignment

The penultimate plenary turns to the critical need for robust and widely adopted AI standards. Well-defined standards are essential to ensuring safety, reliability, transparency, and, crucially, interoperability but are often considered at odds with themes of innovation. The session will explore how coherent technical and governance standards can help manage risks, guide responsible deployment, and provide clarity for developers, deployers, and users alike.

Cinzia Missiroli, CEN-CENELEC, and Jean Philippe Faure, IEEE, together with additional speakers to be confirmed, will join a session moderated by Cameron F. Kerry of the Brookings Institution to assess current progress and the persistent challenges in developing meaningful AI standards. The conversation will ask: Are we genuinely moving toward clear, harmonised global standards, and why are such standards so vital at this moment of rapid AI adoption?

Panel Discussion titled 'Equitable Access and Opportunity: AI for Inclusive Growth' at the The International AI Summit 2024.

Session 6: Global AI Governance and Geopolitics – Cooperation, Competition, and the Future of the International Order

Finally, returning to the theme of global AI governance and its influence on international relations, the closing session will examine AI’s far-reaching geopolitical implications. In a landscape marked by fragmentation and strategic, often competing, interests, global AI governance remains uneven, contested, and increasingly complex. This session therefore offers a timely opportunity to reflect on the trends and dynamics underpinning these debates and to consider what meaningful cooperation might look like in practice.

Juha Heikkilä, European Commission; Karine Perset, OECD; and Emmanuelle Ganne; WTO; will join Cristina Shimoda, Brazil; Akifumi Irie, Japan; and Aaron Kleiner, Atlassian, to explore whether genuine international cooperation can endure amid such intensifying competition. Crucially, the discussion will ask: How are geopolitical forces shaping AI development and deployment, and is purposeful global cooperation still achievable in an era defined by rivalry and rapid technological change?

Confirmed Speakers Include: 

• Niamh Smyth, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Ireland
  
• Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, United Nations
  
• Michael McNamara, Member, European Parliament, Co-Chair, European Parliament's AI Working Group
  
• Thibaut Kleiner, Director, Communications Networks, Content and Technology, DG CONNECT, European Commission
  
• Pamela Krzypkowska, Director of Research and Innovation Department, Ministry of Digital Affairs, Poland
• Kilian Gross, Head of Unit, Artificial Intelligence Regulation and Compliance, Artificial Intelligence Office, DG CNECT, European Commission
  
• Emmanuelle Ganne, Chief of Digital Trade & Frontier Technology Unit, WTO
• Juha Heikkilä, Adviser for International Aspects of Artificial Intelligence, DG CNECT, European Commission, 
  
• Cinzia Missiroli, Acting Director General, CEN CENELEC
  
• Nikolaj Munch Andersen, Chief AI Expert, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark
  
• Cristina Shimoda, General Coordinator of Digital Transformation, Ministry of State of Science, Technology and Innovations, Brazil
  
• Jason Slater, Chief of Digital Transformation and AI UNIDO, Co-Chair, Global Digital Compact on an Inclusive Digital Economy, UNCTAD
  
  

An EIT Community: Artificial Intelligence roundtable at the International AI Summit 2024. 

Featuring EIT AI Community Workshops:

Alongside the plenary sessions, Forum Global is pleased to support a series of workshops organised by the EIT AI Community and led by 28 Digital. Titled ‘The Future of European AI: Innovation Frameworks under the EU AI Act’ and ‘AI Agora: AI Ecosystems and Scaleup Challenges,’ both workshops bring a distinctly dynamic and interactive approach to the Summit. 

The first workshop, The Future of European AI: Innovation Frameworks under the EU AI Act, will convene key stakeholders for a high-level discussion on the main obstacles facing AI innovation under the EU AI Act. The session aims to generate concrete recommendations and practical feedback to help shape emerging initiatives, foster synergies across the ecosystem, and provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners alike.

The second workshop, ‘AI Agora: AI Ecosystems and Scaleup Challenges,’ will examine the varied obstacles faced by organisations across Europe’s AI landscape. Focusing on issues such as competitiveness, structural dynamics, and barriers to scaling, the session will invite participants to share experiences, identify common challenges, and discuss potential approaches to strengthening Europe’s AI innovation pipeline. The workshop is intended to provide a constructive setting for informed exchange and practical insight.

OECD Deputy Secretary-General, Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, in conversation with Cameron F. Kerry of the FCAI.

Additional confirmed speakers, along with the full event agenda, can be found on the event website. Naturally, the Summit will also offer multiple opportunities to network with leading figures across AI policy, governance, academia, and industry. 

Join us as we explore the future of AI on the global stage. Secure your place today here, as remaining spaces are limited.

Interested in becoming involved? Please contact anne-lise.simon@forum-europe.com for further information.