Recently, the American Academy of Natural and Social Sciences successfully convened an internal seminar on “Digital Economy Development and Global Governance” in the United States. The seminar was organized by the Academy’s Center for Digital Economy Studies and brought together researchers from multiple internal departments.

The opening session was chaired by Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Michael Anderson, with opening remarks delivered by Executive Committee Member and Director of the Center for Digital Economy Studies, Prof. Daniel Roberts. He emphasized that the digital economy has become a key driver of global economic transformation, and highlighted the Academy’s responsibility to conduct systematic research and provide policy-oriented insights in this field.

During the keynote session, several internal researchers presented their latest findings. Senior Research Fellow Dr. Emily Carter delivered a presentation on “Digital Platforms and Industrial Upgrading.” Dr. Kevin Liu, Head of the Data Governance Program, discussed “Cross-border Data Flows and Compliance Mechanisms.” Meanwhile, Research Fellow in Blockchain and FinTech, Dr. Sophia Martinez, explored emerging trends in digital currency and financial system innovation.

The internal roundtable discussion was moderated by Director of Academic Affairs Dr. Jonathan Reed. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on key topics, including: (1) structural transformation pathways in the digital economy; (2) market-based allocation of data as a production factor and its regulatory frameworks; (3) integration of artificial intelligence into economic systems; and (4) challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises in digital transformation. Participants also shared insights from ongoing internal research projects and proposed several actionable recommendations.

In closing, Director of the Policy Research Office Dr. Laura Bennett summarized the key outcomes and outlined future research plans. The Academy intends to produce a comprehensive research report within the next three months and further translate its findings into policy consultation and international collaboration initiatives.

As one of the Academy’s key annual academic activities, this seminar strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration within the institution and laid a solid foundation for advancing research in the field of digital economy.