Economist and Former Ambassador to Brussels, Dr. Draško Aćimović, explains how the Third Gutenberg Moment and AI re-architect global governance.
Question: Dr. Aćimović, your research defines the “Third Gutenberg Moment” as a structural metamorphosis. Why is this concept inseparable from the establishment of the “New Global Table”?
Dr. Draško Aćimović: The Third Gutenberg Moment represents the final phase of the transition toward algorithmic governance. While the first moment democratized the word and the second information, the third re-architects sovereignty itself through the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). This technological fusion directly deconstructs the exclusive “High Tables” of 20th-century diplomacy. The New Global Table is not an option, but an inevitability; it is the new operating system for global governance where power is no longer measured solely by territory, but by interoperability and the speed of strategic data synthesis.
Question: In your paper, you identify a “governance void.” How dangerous is this gap for small economies?
Dr. Draško Aćimović: The gap between obsolete legal frameworks and the speed at which AI formulates strategic decisions creates what I define as a “governance void.” For small economies, this void is critical. If they do not integrate immediately, they risk falling into a state of “digital colonialism” or digital feudalism. Small economies can no longer afford the luxury of passive observation. They must become active architects of their own digital sovereignty by integrating into global digital flows; otherwise, they will be structurally excluded from the decision-making mechanisms at the New Global Table.
Question: CBDCs are often viewed as a technical innovation, but you define them as “programmable economic sovereignty.” What does this mean in practice?
Dr. Draško Aćimović: CBDCs are far more than digital money; they are precision instruments of national and international policy. They enable a shift from reactive to proactive governance through “smart contracts” and programmable ethics. For small economies, CBDCs represent an opportunity to rectify systemic imbalances from the past.
Question: You conclude that the speed of this transition is unprecedented. What is the primary imperative for policymakers at this moment?
Dr. Draško Aćimović: While the transition from the printing press to the industrial age was measured in centuries, the shift to an AI-integrated economy is occurring in mere years. The primary imperative is a multidisciplinary synthesis of technology, macroeconomics, and political science. There is an urgent need to develop frameworks for “Algorithmic ESG” to ensure transparency. Small states must invest in their own algorithmic capabilities to retain the right to the “strategic pen” that will draft the new social contract. Any delay means permanent obsolescence in the technocratic order that is currently being established.
- AI as a Necessity: AI is no longer a tool for automation but the primary requirement for navigating chaotic geopolitical data.
- CBDCs as a Shield: Programmable money is the only way to maintain monetary sovereignty in the digital era.
- Urgency: The transition is faster than any previous shift in human history; passivity leads directly to digital dependency.
