When leaders from business, finance, government, and academia gathered in Shenzhen for the Digital With Purpose Summit, organized by the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), the challenge on the table went far beyond the raw technical capabilities of artificial intelligence. The debate centered on a more fundamental question: how to steer digital innovation toward measurable, scalable outcomes that balance enterprise competitiveness with inclusive societal progress and the resilience of global systems.
Re-Imagine Europa’s Chairwoman, Maria João Rodrigues, and CEO, Erika Staël von Holstein, contributed to the summit’s discussions on the strategic priorities required to ensure that emerging digital ecosystems generate genuine public value. Among the key topics they addressed were how to effectively merge economic development and competitiveness with social goals, the shifting landscape of global governance, and the role of cross-border cooperation in keeping the digital transition sustainable.