Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
The International Partners of the Aspen Institute, supported by Microsoft, launched the NextGen Network in 2018 to bring together young leaders from technology, business, policy, journalism, and civil society to develop solutions to key challenges facing the global community. The Network serves as a feedback mechanism for the informed perspectives of millennials and Generation Z and seeks to inform policy discussions at the local and international level. The Network is global in nature and its members vary contingent upon the topic they are examining. Each cohort participates in workshops, small group discussions, and interacts with leaders in the field to produce a report outlining their perspective on the issue and their ideas for the way forward.
AI Initiative: How AI can work for humanity?
In 2020, the Network launched its first initiative focusing on the impact of technology around the world. The group sought to answer key questions such as: How can we manage societal disruptions to the world of work? How do we deliver ethical AI in society?How can we leverage AI to address societal challenges?
Transatlantic Initiative: Make it Durable: Renewing the Transatlantic Relationship
In 2022, the Network launched a new effort to examine the status of and hopes for the transatlantic relationship. The group considered whether the EU and U.S. still share common values and how to achieve a renewed relationship based on the needs of today. The Network identified four areas that could benefit from a transatlantic approach: strengthening democracy, building economic opportunity, increasing sustainability efforts, and developing common approaches on technology.
