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The Silicon Sovereignty Paradox: Navigating Fluid State-Corporate Power Dynamics in the Age of AI

Year: 2025

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: As AI development companies begin to rival sovereign states in political, economic and technical power, their interactions are often framed as zero-sum battles for control. This paper challenges the existing view of state–corporate relations as purely adversarial by introducing a bidirectional framework that categorizes their dynamics into four modes of power enhancement and erosion, analysed through political, economic, and technical lenses. Case studies from the U.S., EU, China, and Russia illustrate the fluid and context-dependent nature of these relationships. While constrained by a great power–centric focus and limited empirical scope, this framework offers a more realistic foundation for designing nuanced AI governance mechanisms that reflect the complexities of an AI-shaped global order.

Source: Proceedings of the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI Ethics and Society

DOI: 10.1609/aies.v8i3.36725

Authors: Maanya Singh, Anka Reuel

Institutions: Stanford University, Harvard University

Language: English

Topic: Ethics and Social Impacts of AI

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: bronze

OpenAlex ID: W4415195227

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