Super Terriffic Indo-Pacific Tech Policy Conference
Alrighty-o! We are off to hear some serious people talk about serious things. That’s what I assume for an event about policy. But you know what they say about “assuming”? It makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me”. Even so… I’ll assume it. This event is all about… “indo-pacific” things, which I asked AI a few days ago when I was looking at this event… what does “indo-pacific” mean… and it said “basically, competition against china” ahahhaha omg what? So, let’s see. I feel like I wanna look that up again right now - one sec… here: “It's technically accurate AND a massive oversimplification AND still somehow the most useful one-sentence summary… It's a geopolitical rebrand that does correlate with U.S.-China competition, but it's also a genuine recognition that the Indian Ocean and Pacific are now one strategic theater. The framing serves both analytical and political purposes.” IDK. You know? Let’s just go find out.
Why Attend: I love things related to policy AND tech… and that is this event!! Plus it is in a venue I’ve never been to, and something about this just gives me good vibes ahead of time. The talks I can attend (I’m arriving late cause I’m going to a lunch about affordable housing before) but the talks I can attend will be about cyber policy, public-private agreements, digital regulation, a guy from the japanese bank, A CONGRESSWOMAN (I wonder if its the one I’ve seen speak liek 3 times now), and talks about investments and partnerships. Just think it sounds really fun and interesting in a dorky kinda way. Hahah in the “policy and cyber blah blah is fun” kinda way. It has just been a while since I attended anything like this so I’m kinda psyched and excited for today!!!
Photo Collage + Commentary:
Notes from the Event:
I arrive late but great. They’re talking about cooperating on cybersecurity laws. The vibe in here is insanely professional hahaha. Like super super professional and formal.
Conveying the message that its important to trust technology companies that are acting responsibly and there’s a lot of interest in the private sector to help government reach security goals.
And with that they’re out of time hahaha.
The next panelist is about to be up and the topic is digital regulation and competition policy in the Indo-Pacific.
I heard a guy at the table next to me say this is never-ending. Lol. And he’s wearing a wedding ring on his middle finger. LOL I wonder if thats him and his wife’s choice and “thing”
Okay, they introduce the panel and say that one guy is an expert in cyber security and emerging technology.
A couple of years ago digital regulation woudl have been sleepy to discuss and this is not the case now with what we’ve seen out of the Trump administration. Looking forward to the conversation, allstart lineup of panelists.
One woman is a professor at a university and worked on big councils. Another guy specialized on data and tech governance.
Okay I’m just going to say the energy is SO dull in here compared to where I just was. I’m like omg bored to the extreme. I’m surprised hahaha.
Okay one woman says you haven’t had coffee and food is digesting and everyone has already said good ideas. So she wants to put a different spin on some of these things and wants to talk about geopolitical implications in the region.
Two things she heard today to keep in mind as she talks about it are a lot of converation about TRUST (she pulled data points trying to understand the trust perspective in the region between China and the USA) These sources aren’t entirely reliable, but, interestingly, 2025 data says that the trust of the USA is slightly more than China, 47% USA vs 43% in China.
So low!
Trusting a little more here.
Also trust in technology, teh statistical data is less impressive. It is higher trust in USA technology than in Chinese tech makers. That is more true with respect to physical infrastructure than it is to playforms. A key and interesting point that we see. The biggest shift in the region between the USA and China, in the tech sector, that has been challenged that China is not as reliable. As we see more data collections and such.
Over the last 10 years we see a shift on how the USA handles trade policy. It tags the USA with less trust in terms of its messaging and as an alley in the region and a source of tech in the region. In trade, the perception has traded from positive and constructive to one that is negative. That is increasingly integrated with national security.
Previous administrations focused on export controls
This makes the USA and other governments rethink dependency on USA supply chains
Innovation nd tech are developed in industrial policy and (idk) this woman talks so fast.
It’s hard to keep up with her cause she talks fast - though she’s not reading off a script. She just speaks so fast.
She says let’s think about tech and tech evolution. Where is it at the time?
Geopolitical factors are running into where we are in a poivot/moment with respect to tech. Tech is national security and there is no doubt about this anymore. China has made this argument for decades and their policy has been focused on with that in mind.
With the Iran war you see tech with tech issues, driving reactions form regulators. More “digital sovereignty” being said.
- Doubling down on data localization
Heavy focus on infrastructure and partnerships
Develop independent infrastructure particularly with AI
Compute power (India is an interesting case study as their government develops an LLM)
Second point mentioned by bircrosot says we’re at a heightened tech globally but trust is more important than ever.
Tendency of regulators is the need to control, diversify, and lead on their own.
Along with AI, we’re in a moment where some countries view it as an existential threat… here we have a significantly higher level of trust in tech and tech in our region, but it creates dependency.
We are now in the tech regulatory sphere at a 30 year point. For 30 years regulators have been trying to figure out how to regulate technology
The lady next to me laughs
We aren’t keeping up with whats going on with technology, and it’s not possible to keep up with with the pace of tech and change. But now we have a build up of frustration, so we are beginning to see regulatory reactions in the region, including shifts in how regulators approach regulation. Increasing liability of platforms
A desire for predictive and modeled regulations.
Final point is digital sovereignty, diminished trust, and the desire to have more control.
The next guy says g’day and he feels there are too many austrailians here today.
This region is struggling to adapt to a shift in priorities
Btw I realize it’s so random and funny I’m here. There are like… 70 people here… and if a lot of them are from Australia, and across the pacific… there are not a lot of locals here hahahah omg. I’m so random to be here.
This is a super random event.
He says he used to work with think tanks and worked for 9 years at the technology innovation foundation.
But looking at the nature of Korean discrimitary policy looking at the us/korea trade context is really interesting. ITs getting renewed attention but it’s an old issue.
And there are 24 speakers, so 1/3rd of the room is speakers lol.
One guy from tokyo, Shanghai, another from china, London, Korea, phillipines, china, Japan, lol. The gang is all here!!
Now they’re talking about a windowless hot room that people complain about. Trying to alay out a path for policy makers. The value of engagement in issues and getting parties together to let platforms do what they do. Beyond competition policy. How countries adopt their competition or a threshold base approach.
Tech and competition that is neutral and nondiscrimitry - and with AI, cyber security, privacy, national security, CII, everything. It’s complicated. Talking with one of the lead engagers with vietnames-ai law, it’s something. What are comparative models? Tehy’re not interested. Vietnam regulates how Vietnam wants to regulate. They will pick and choose but countries set their own course. All we can do is provide evidence and analysis and advocacy to ty and help point them the best way forward using case sexamlps. What Vietnam is trying to do woudl be a really bad model. They remain committed to scoping in high risk general purpose AI. There is a battle country by country with how they handle AI.
We want some degree or regulatory coherence with likeminded partners. It’s a challenging dinamic to do this. Historical regulation, struggle to connect domestically with waht they need to do internationally. We want to help them bridge that gap and bring the best practices and examples to get it right from the start.
It’s hard to adjust once there is a law in place
Omg I’m suddenly so tired and theres this sleepy white noise in this room that makes you want to just lay down and take a nap.
This room has nice lighting and a peaceful feeling like literally you could nap in here.
One woman thanks everyone for this timely conversation.
In 2012 Korea and the USA took tariffs to almost zero but then Trump had a liberation day and put tariffs on all partners, even South Korea at 25% but South Korea realizing that we’re violating their side of the agreement stuck with their commitments and try to make the best of it.
For the first half of last year, South Korea didnt’ have an elected president. When their old president declared Marshall law and within hours the National Assembly gathered a quorum and rescinded Marshall law and then impeached him. No elected president for half of last year.
They laugh and thank a guy in the back and it makes me notice this woman with here eyes closed and she’s rolling her eyes around while closing her eyes .LIke she’s doing an eye exercise. Now she’s rubbing her eyebrows. Liek a face massage for herself lol.
Theres a guy in teh second row who was a speaker and he’s literally falling asleep in his chair. He keeps dozing off and his eyes keep closing and then opening. See! These vibes are so so so sos osleep. LOL and I’m sitting here thinking maybe he’s on a different timezone. But no, I’m pretty sure he’s a lawyer that works in this building. So… idk your excuse buddy. Other than the fact this place is super super sleepy.
Actually, I look behind me and theres a couch and theres a guy who is nodding of and falling asleep.
Literally he’s sleeping now. I wonder what they coudl do too make these events more efficient.
Now another guy is looking at the sleeping buy, the guy sitting next to him. He’s on his laptop and his laptop has a bumper sticker of an avocado on it. Lol.
Now this woman is just talking about data leaks and how Korea had data leaks lately.
She watched a lot of hte hearing online and used google translate to understand it.
This woman is just talking about Korea so much. How the republic is phenomenal. Her sister used to live there. She has friends in Korea. And some companies have good US lobbying.
I’m thinking I may leave this after the next talk. IDK. What the next conversation?
8% of exports were with Coupon in Korea.
Okay the next conversation after this is 15 minutes by a guy named like Tamogatci or something, then a 15 minutes coffee break, then the congresswoman and then something else.
But this woman is just talking forever bout Korea. It’s so niche. Talking about how her Korean friends resonate with evaculation of data before a war. Like hte Ukraine went and stored their data in the USA. Data centers are military targets. Trusted partner clouds.
Oh the guy sleeping don’ts work for this law group, he works for a huge huge huge tech company as a cyber security poly guy. He must be overworked. It’s a local company. He’s so tired hahah ahhh I just feel bad for humanity. So overworked and tired.
This woman is talking forever about Korea. She’s talking about US Korea relations even though they’re back sliding.
OMG this woman sitting next to hte sleeping uy woke him up and gave him a coffee. LOLLLLLLL so passive aggressive.Lots of leaders have been to Korea lately, talking to Samsung, LG, blah blah blah all these companies.
She keeps leaving us with points, how Korea looks at the European approach. Lol and sh e says she encourages her Korean friends to read a report by Mario that talks bout the reason the europeans aren’t as competitive in teh digital sector is cause of over regulation. Then she asks her Korean friends to name European online platform companies
Btw this woman is totally a grandma or great grandma. She’s so funny like so excited about Korean fiends. Who even nows. Idk whats this woman’s deal.
- talking about south Korea’s innovative ecosystem.
Okay now they’re done with their introductions. That was a LONG introduction.
The moderator says you all made my job easy and btw -I wanna say that no joke their introductions just took 40 of 60 minutes.
The Australian guy said Japan is doing a good job with AI regulation, same with Singapore. Setting a regional example, cyber security, agentic, cloud, digital trade. Original reference points. It’s important to have alternative models.
OMG yeah this is so boring times a million. The event I was just at before this was mega fun. And this is very dull and like niche for people in the industry.
It’s hard for USA officials, they’ve long struggled for alternative approaches and dont have reference materials that apply to AI cases.
The woman next to me keeps making noises like she totally understands what this guy is talking about.
A woman adds that a continuation of depression in teh earlier panel, the bigger models that are out there’re either EU, USA, or China, not just in terms of AI but in how we innovate and create tech. Traditionally the USA is an innvoation market. US platforms and tech result in what it did because of talent, capital, and no regulation. That’s the ugly truth. The wild west worked here.
China’s innovation model is interesting but not replicatable.
Now this woman says another concern she has about Korea, and how American companies operate - the new Korean president wants a strong KFTC. At the end of each year, the major organizations of the Korean government meet with him and tell them the plans for the next year. When the KFTC met with him, he said he wanted to hire 167 new people but
The president said NO hire 500.
That makes my Korean friends equally nervous. Having a more muscular trade commission means more investigations.
The way the KFTC operates inst’ unique in Korea to just the FTC but the national tax service investigates in a similar manner. The national custom service by heavy handed down raged to come in and find soemihtng. A leftover remnant on the economy. The Koreans used to determined winners and losers. They listened to economic experts and developed one of the fastest economics in Asia. Korea is 4th largest in Asia, 10th or 11th in teh world. They’re heavy handed nature they know best, talkign about tech where peopel don’t understand them yet, its hard for government regulators to undesratna and encourage conversations with Korean companies. To produce better regulation.
I’m just thinking, like, what is even going on at this event. Is anyone learning anything? I think the woman sitting next to me is… but I’d guess like 20% of this room is paying attention and learning, maybe thats it. SO many people are on their phones or computers and zoning out.
Now this woman is taking about how Korea will have an aggressive KFTC and discriminatory practices towards the USA digital services.
Large companies are used to dealing with regulatory challenges. The rules impact different ocpaneis dpendong on how tehy’re (idk) - Singapore cloud computing with the banking sector. This has a different affect than salesforce and not able to store data locally. Regulations can remove business opportunities and have very significant and differing effects depending on the technology model. Also some people have deponency on different tech. Cyber security, cyber climate. And raising costs has ramifications. Like small companies that only use Facebook for their own customers and shutting things down might impact companies.
Now the guys says its time to open up to questions int eh audience.
I’m stunned peopel have questions.
One guy asks them to comment on the Korean dilemma - the argument about being safer with nuclear weapons versus the USA forces defending them. Thank you.
She says let’s pass it onto the Korean guy in teh audience, but she’ll take a stab at it. Interest among South Korea to have nuclear weapons, more interested in the reliability in teh USA honoring commitments.
Right now trump and such agree South Korea to build nuclear subs. That will serve the UAS well to have ROK ability to check and keep an eye on things around China.
Omg this is serious!
Want the opportunity to reprocess spent fuel, nuclear reactors they want an opportunity to focus on.
She asks the ambassador if he wants to give the correct answer, but the ambassador says her answer was more than correct
No there are two questions
One guy wonders if the coupon issue was related to he plant in Georgia and the fiasco if it was tit for tat, she says absolutely not.
In early September as part of trumps’ dual priorities of immigration and investment, we had a major ICE raid on a battery EV plant in Georgia. 317 rule following professional South Koreans, electrical engineers, battery experts - are here trying to get this battery plant up and running so when its operational, it’ll create 6,800 jobs in Georgia.
She was invited to join coincidentally after the raid Lots of questions about the raid.
Why are Koreans stealing our jobs? But you don’t know the cost of an airline ticket, its 1800… tehy’re trained experts that have a skillset to build these plants and Americans don’t know how to do that and they’re doing training, management, and tech transfers. We gotta get them here and let them do their jobs.
Most of those Korean citizens were on teh B1B2 visa and it’s unclear if that was legal or not.
We sent a deputy Seoul to apologize.
I jsut think this event is so strange and it’s not enough quality time. It shoudl be way more networking and tabletop discussions. Not just these speeches.
Lots of peopel here are ambassadors and such. LOL.
One ambassador says that about trust, barriers… you’ve got the USA in its trade things, teh 301, the NTE, but also cooperative mechanics liek the CPTBP with 12 countries. Not Korea but tehy want to be part of it… so who has the clout in this? Or really, the question is is there any interrelationship among these things and are there tools collectively that may solve these barriers and challenges any one country may not be able to ?
Looking towards constructive elements of this, hearing from folks in teh region and how geoplicits affect how peopel turn away from US tech
Very active shift on trust perspectives playing out, how do tehy look to work toeghtr where they do. Various elements. Those of you engaged in AIPAC or ezion. Theres energy efforts happening. Cloud principals across the region, cyber security. Cross-obrer cloud computing initiative.
You can’t operate the workloads in a single country. Need to build verifiable techniques with partners to now how its treated and respected.
I keep looking at this exhausted local big tech worker, imaging him going home to his family and kids, so absolutely exhausted. I jsut get the vibe he’s so tried and exhausted in every element of his life. Oof. His shirt doesn’t even fit him, like it’s popping open a bit from his belly, you know. Just can’t keep up with himself.
Humanity needs a revolution and stuff like this is so inefficient.
Tradefofs need to be proportional tend necessary but I try to remain positive. We need to find a balanced approach to get opportunities of trade and tech.
Another woman says to stick with positive, she doesn’t see them pivoting away from trade.
I’m cracking up over the photographer here. The energy and situation is so low energy but he’s like on his knees crouched down like he’s taking pictures of leopards in teh wild. Wh wants these pics, you know? It’s so self-serving and idk. I jsut don’t get it. Why do you have this professional photographer here taking so many pictures.
They’re out of time but one guy had his hand raised.
He says we’ve got exciting remarks so let’s stick to the schedule. LOL what are the exciting remarks!?
I’m ready for this excitement.
I wanna go see if there is a snack I can have during this break. I’ll go check.
Okay I was able to sneak into the kitchen and take some chips. At them. They were insanely crunchy and loud in my mouth - I dont know if they were super loud for everyone else but I stood in teh back of the room.
Now a guy from the “international cooperation” Japan bank is speaking. HIs accent is insanely strong.
He says AI cooperation between the USA and Japan is anticipated.
Idk what he’s sayinghalf of this. The big tech guy is sleeping and I notice his wedding ring is so sososososo sunny lol.
I got myself a ginger ale too. OMG they have so much sugar in them but. Idk. Just living a little. Or, the oppostie!?
He’s so hard to understand. Talkign about robots and AI and strengthening something.
Building robot factories. Idk. He literally sounds like he’s speaking Japanese sometimes when you dont 100% focus and even when you 100% focus its like you only understand what he said a few moments later after hearing it all in context. He says “uh” a lot too.
In addition, German something have experience credibility in global and can serve as sometihng in bridging sometihng. US hyperscalers will remain robust. Efficient use of electrify is a key issue here. And something is investing in a data center for itself but also energy saving something photonics PEC technology. IOWN a partner for electreciluar circuit with optimal - lol. IDK hahahah this is funny to try and write what he’s saying.
India, achieving… in computing the coampnys current wording… between uh semiconductor.. .now uh plan to connect with optimal connections. Then finally with chips int eh packages. This is ultimate expected 104…
The massive production framework are key challenges. In particular optimal connections… Nvidia… in that case still, multiple companies are involved in the supply chain
Bro this guy talks so fast too
A bunch of possibilities between us, Japan, and other countries as well.
And about cooling systems, thats 25-50% of data center electric consumption. Some Japanese companies are good at this
With the deployment of hyperscaler, support activities… with infrastcuture as well.
The big tech guy is sleeping again.
Asia data center and date investment we’re scaling sufficient supply
Another guy is sleeping at the table in front of me, and the tablet to the left of me a lady is sleeping.
I don’t think many people can understand this guy. SO many peopel are browsing on their phones.
Power grid promotes government and clean energy through first (idk) and apt has existed for more than 20 years, momentum towards (idk) has never been sooner driven by… legalization… growing … data center…
Btw given the … about Iran… increasingly important … energy and economic development.
Cooperation in communication centers. Cables and critical infrastructure from security… notably supported branch line to … 2021 at that time, uh, uh, we provide the final thing together with the USA and France. Such a progression is still very important although, America first but still we need progression has … lpossible and important… also now USA and Japan and South Korea and Australia, India, the progression is important.
Omg another guy is sleeping but standing up in a back corner. Resting his eyes by the window. Lol.
Data and trust and touch up on… ai… semiconductors. Essential to, you know, to supply chains. Um. In terms of our, uh, well semiconductor sector, well now the market has focused on uh, GPU and, uh, hi memory, uh boundless memory. High capable, uh, merry as well. Memory uh, you know, uh AGP. In this region, uh there are many companies, uh, that deploy, uh uh for for its development. So, uh, thats what I’ll sy for semiconductors.
Uh at a recent summit meeting, uh, critical mineral, uh quote for quoting for these including, uh, introducing a press, uh. Uh I think press, uh discussion is uh, uh important, as a … uh for example, uh investment. Uh, force to , uh , however such efforts, uh shoudl expand beyond uh cooperation to include uh, all like minded countries. Uh we can pursue mineral songs or rare project. Meanwhile uh, mineral project cooperation. Uh, listed. As for jamie, uh, supporting projects, uh. Japan supply chain is its mission
- dude. Is this the best speaker they can find!?!??!?
Suddenly he says, okay that’s all i’m going to say, thank you so much for your attention. Omg. hahahhah wow.
The senator is next after a 10 minutes coffee break. And lemme say it’s 3:22pm but this feels liek 3:22 am with how dull it is. I’m losing it. I need to change my seat just to live a little.
During the break, I talked with the catering guys. They’re funny and said they’ve been making coffee for 8 hours. And they said they tried to listen to 5 minutes of the last speaker but didnt understand one word he was saying.
Yeah… I may leave this event .I dont even think I want to hear this congresswoman speech. I’ll give it 10 minutes.
Her mic wasn’t working then it does work and everyone cracks up. Makes me feel like this event is so dull that a non-working mic makes everyone laugh, oof.
She says this is the better Washington, glad to be here.
-policy is way behind and we are behind on tech policy. In teh USA and relative to what we’ve seen in relation to other parts of the world.
Consumer data policy, user rights. We keep debating, policy moves forward, and how do you use decade old policy that never anticipated the world we’re in today.
Btw the guy sitting next to me has his phone background as his dog. This event is so crazy dull.
Congresspeople aren’t too tech savvy
This is such a problem here. Why do we have people in leadership who dont even understand how to use tech!?
She says they need to get better at moving forward in their ability to decide. To not fall behind internationally when they down have domestic norms in place.
Now I’m 100% not paying attention anymore. I have a task to do for work so I’ll do that.
Update: I had a GREAT time networking at the end of the event, hahaha
what a surprise.
hahahah. After all of this. I met a woman who wants me to join a panel about media literacy and a guy who invited me to a monthly Open Claw social. So, see? Worth it!!
