As AI reshapes global power, prosperity, and public trust, I’ve been testing a theory. What if leadership in the AI era isn’t about size, but clarity? What if the countries best positioned to benefit aren’t those with the most compute, but those with the sharpest sense of purpose?

That theory gained strength at the 2024 Global Action Forum, where I engaged with leaders from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. The conversations were clear: the appetite to lead is there. The question is how.

If you want to understand why regulatory guardrails can supercharge, not stifle, technological innovation, don’t look to theory. Look to cybersecurity. The field is, by definition, mission-critical: cybersecurity keeps our technical infrastructure resilient, protects financial institutions, and allows both individuals and businesses to leverage the internet safely. Cybersecurity methods must evolve quickly, or our critical infrastructure could be at risk.

Welcome to the gray zone of innovation.

Shadow AI is what happens when employees use generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini, and others) without telling IT or leadership. Sometimes it's to save time, automate grunt work, or just move faster. But like its older cousin shadow IT, shadow AI comes with serious risks.

And it’s not just happening in the margins. It’s everywhere. According to recent surveys, more than 70% of knowledge workers say they use GenAI at work but fewer than 20% say their company has approved it.

If you’re a leader, that means your org likely has more AI use than you think and a lot less control than you need.

“AI tools, when developed and deployed well, can help small businesses manage everything from inventory to customer interactions to product development to content creation. However, the learning curve is steep and the cost to onboard knowledgeable talent is significant when already investing in new or expanded technological capabilities. Without responsible AI adoption — with safety and security as top priorities —- small businesses may not be able to protect their intellectual property, their consumers, or their competitive advantage.”

CAS Strategies and Diplomatic Courier hosted the inaugural Global AI Action Forum, a day-long convening gathering principal-level decision makers from 12 Global Majority countries including government officials and leading experts from civil society and industry to coalesce around a policy agenda to inform global AI governance developments for the upcoming French AI Action Summit, scheduled for February 10-11, 2025.