Artificial Intelligence and the Reconceptualization of Digital Sovereignty: A Political–Philosophical Analysis
TL;DR
It is maintained that AI disrupts the traditional Westphalian principle of state sovereignty, arguing that true digital sovereignty requires more than technical infrastructure but a philosophically cohesive conception of collective self-determination in an increasingly interconnected world.
Abstract
This article explores the topic of digital sovereignty from the vantage point of the theory of politics, maintaining that AI disrupts the traditional Westphalian principle of state sovereignty. Drawing on the normative frame of Roberts and the comparative analyses of Larsen and Kurbalija, it illustrates the three competing philosophical models of digital self-determination: the liberal market model (United States), the techno-legal rights model (European Union), and the cyber-sovereignty model (China), and evaluates the normative presumption. It furthermore assesses these models in light of emerging legislative patterns in Vietnam, arguing that true digital sovereignty requires more than technical infrastructure but a philosophically cohesive conception of collective self-determination in an increasingly interconnected world. The article concludes with an outline for a relational account of digital sovereignty incorporating autonomy/interdependence.