Laila Shaheen

Laila Shaheen is a passionate advocate for participatory, public-interest-driven tech policy. In her master’s thesis in International Studies, she examined the intersection of technology and geopolitics, focusing on how innovations, particularly artificial intelligence and central bank digital currencies, are reshaping today’s global power dynamics.

Beyond her academic research, Laila’s dedication to democratizing knowledge at the intersection of technology, policy, and society has shaped her work in education, research, and advocacy. She founded Canada’s first national AI conference for professors in the Arts and Humanities, co-authored a generative AI curriculum for graduate supervisors at her university, and facilitated numerous workshops for diverse academic audiences, from students and faculty to university leadership, on how to engage with AI ethically and responsibly.

Looking ahead, Laila plans to contribute to discourse on the securitization of emerging technologies, the role of policy in balancing innovation and security, and the development of concrete frameworks that ensure technology supports inclusive and fair societal progress.