Capacity Building on AI-Driven Digital Trade

UNIDO Global Alliance on AI for Industry and Manufacturing (AIM Global): Democratizing AI for Sustainable Industrialization

Lecturer: Nishtha Mehta

Senior Advisor, International, Centers of Excellence for AI and Digital Transformation, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

She described data as the “fuel” of digital trade, emphasizing that digital trade encompasses the entire value chain, from goods and services to logistics and data governance. Mehta stressed that AI capacity building should be guided by local needs and translated into practical solutions. She said AIM Global promotes capacity building, scalable development, collaborative innovation and ecosystem enhancement, while encouraging the responsible adoption of AI through international cooperation, open-source resources and shared governance experience.

From Caravans to Algorithms : The Changing Tools of Trade

Lecturer: John Higgins

Co-lead of Standards Program of World Internet Conference Specialized Committee on Artificial Intelligence, Chair of International Al Governance Association.

He said AI-driven digital trade is one of the most promising drivers of future growth, complementing rather than replacing traditional trade. Higgins emphasized the importance of common terminology, trusted standards and open-source ecosystems, while aligning cross-sector governance frameworks with industry-specific solutions.He encouraged countries to build AI ecosystems on existing infrastructure rather than starting from scratch, strengthen international standards cooperation, remove barriers to data sharing, and expand capacity building efforts to help bridge the global digital and AI divide.

Overview of Global Cross-border Data Flows and China's Institutional Design

Lecturer: Lin Zhiqiang

Division Director for Data and Technical Support Center of the Cyberspace Administration of China.

He said data has become a key production factor alongside capital and labor, leading economies around the world to adopt different regulatory approaches. Lin explained that China's framework seeks to balance development and security, while reducing compliance costs for small and medium-sized enterprises and supporting an open, inclusive, secure and cooperative environment for cross-border data flows.

Cross-Border E-Commerce and Governance in the AI Era

Lecturer: Song Juntao

Vice-Chair of World Internet Conference Specialized Committee on E-Commerce, former Secretary-General of the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP).

He said AI is transforming every stage of cross-border e-commerce, from product selection and marketing to logistics and customs clearance, while enabling new business models, such as one-person companies. Song called for stronger multilateral governance, viewing AI governance as a shared capacity building effort rather than a competition among countries, and encouraged broader participation in international rule-making to ensure AI benefits all.