Digital Sovereignty and Economic Defense

5 Meta-Trends, industry impacts, and strategic paths forward based on the June 15, 2025 global developments in tech, policy, and markets.

Governments are codifying technological control—of chips, code, standards, and simulation—as a core function of national power, with direct implications for trade, defense, and financial stability.

Techno-Sovereignty Doctrine

Digital infrastructure, AI, and quantum tech are treated as sovereign assets, protected via export rules, investment barriers, and standards.

G7 AI Security Framework; U.S.–Japan chip pact

2. Code-as-Tariff

Regulatory standards are replacing physical tariffs, particularly in AI, semiconductors, and creative industries. Licensing regimes in cross-border AI deployment

3. Simulation-as-Policy

High-performance simulation (esp. quantum) is being used not just for research but to project geopolitical and economic capability.

China’s 512-qubit fluid dynamics announcement

4. Cultural Infrastructure War

AI-assisted storytelling, media generation, and narrative regulation are becoming part of geopolitical signaling.

AI films at Seoul/Lagos festivals; CNN Broadway

5. Supply Chain as National Armor

From chips to fiber optics, countries are re-anchoring key supply chains through bilateral financing and sovereignty zones.

Semiconductor co-investment zones (US–Japan)