This framework brings together existing OECD standards, policy tools, and good practices to propose a general approach to the governance of emerging technologies. Working with and building upon governance work on specific technological areas, the framework aims to address recurrent issues and policy questions.
This framework features five interconnected elements. The elements and their associated actions should be interdependent and interactional.
Guiding values: technological development should be anchored in guiding values, both foundational (encompassing shared ethical, political, economic, and cultural ideals) and technology-specific (tailored to technology policy decisions). These values must be debated in particular technology contexts to ensure that technology governance aligns with human rights, democratic principles, sustainability, equity, inclusion, safety and public good. Ethical, social, and political dialogue can nurture and develop this values-based innovation culture. Integrating these values – and reflection upon them – throughout the entire process, from agenda-setting to deployment by innovators will help enable responsible and inclusive technological advancement.
Strategic intelligence: recognizing the unpredictable nature of emerging technologies, policies should foster shared forms of strategic intelligence, involving the comprehensive analysis of technology's potential directions, economic stakes, and societal implications. Robust tools such as horizon scanning, advanced data analytics, forecasting and technology assessment should be employed to anticipate future challenges and inform governance strategies. This anticipatory approach aids in the informed development of strategic visions, plans, and roadmaps for emerging technologies.
Stakeholder engagement: policies should prioritize the proactive engagement of stakeholders and the broader society in the policy-making cycle. Similarly, engaging diverse actors early in the technology development cycle enriches the understanding of issues, fosters trust, and aligns technological innovation with societal needs. Care is needed to balance the range of perspectives and ensure that vocal vested interests do not dominate the process. Tools for societal engagement, including capacity-building, communication, consultation and co-creation should be leveraged to ensure broad-based participation and alignment of science and co-design of technology strategies and governance.
Agile regulation: given the fast pace and evolving nature of emerging technologies, governance systems must strive for agility and anticipation through adapting regulatory tools, fostering inter-agency co-operation, developing forward-looking governance frameworks, and ensuring responsiveness to stakeholder concerns. Experimentation and testing under regulatory supervision should be encouraged to foster innovation, reduce uncertainty, and ensure that governance systems remain relevant and effective. Policy makers should also explore the potential of non-binding governance approaches such as high-level principles, technical standards and codes of conduct.
International co-operation: acknowledging the transboundary nature of technology, policies should promote international co-operation in the face of a shifting geopolitical landscape. Forward-looking dialogue in inclusive fora should be facilitated to coordinate approaches to emerging technology governance, share experiences, deepen understandings, and lay the groundwork for collective standard-setting. Promoting a multi-stakeholder, consensus-driven development of technical standards and principles ensures the interoperability of emerging technologies and the creation of markets for responsible technology products and services.
Each of these framework elements apply to specific emerging technology contexts. The stage of technological development and the nature of the concerns raised in a technology case will determine how exactly the elements are applied. For example, the application of the elements to a technology like quantum computing, where risks and benefits are more speculative and removed from the present moment, will necessarily look different to their application in more developed technologies like synthetic biology where industrialisation has begun. There already exist regulatory systems in health or biosafety, or of AI, with sets of governance principles and where regulation is in development so that governance may be more a question of filling gaps or coordination.
For more information: OECD (2024), Framework for Anticipatory Governance of Emerging Technologies, OECD Science, Technology and Industry Policy Papers, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/0248ead5-en