BSA | The Software Alliance and our member companies have thoughtfully shaped top tech policy issues worldwide in 2023.
Here are a few highlights from 2023 as we prepare to move into 2024.
1. The Year of Artificial Intelligence
BSA helped lead the AI policy conversation in 2023. We launched our AI Policy Resource Center, housing all of our AI content from educational resources, news updates, and real-life examples of how AI-enabled tools spread the benefits of digital transformation in our Why AI? series.
BSA worked constructively with governments across the globe on AI policy and regulations, educating policymakers on the roles different companies play in creating and using AI, how obligations should reflect those roles, and effective ways to mitigate risk. BSA testified multiple times before the US Congress and state legislatures.
In part through BSA’s work, many governments are taking a risk-based approach to regulation, as seen in the work of the G7, the EU’s AI Act, major US legislation, President Biden’s Executive Order on AI, and Japan’s AI guidelines. This approach sets a productive path for globally harmonized AI policy in 2024.
2. BSA Welcomed Six New Global Members
BSA welcomed six new Global Members in 2023: Asana, Elastic, HubSpot, Minitab, Palo Alto Networks, and Rubrik.
3. Europe: Progress in the EU on Data Transfers, Cloud Services, Law Enforcement and Cyber
Following participation in the Schrems II litigation as an amicus, BSA worked on both sides of the Atlantic to support the new EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures data can transfer between the EU and US in a manner that provides improved privacy protections for consumers.
BSA successfully worked with the EU institutions on the conclusion of the EU Data Act to arrive at solutions that are practical and effective in promoting cloud services and customer choice.
The conclusion of the e-Evidence regulation in the EU, after many years of work with lawmakers, established a harmonized system for cross-border law enforcement data requests within the EU.
And, with ongoing dialogue surrounding the EU Cloud Cybersecurity Certification Scheme, BSA continued to make the important case that cybersecurity rules should focus on security, and not be used for other political or protectionist purposes.
4. APAC: Adopting SaaS Solutions and Passage of DPDP Act
After more than six years of work, the 2023 DPDP Bill passed in both Houses of Indian Parliament this past summer, ensuring that the new Indian privacy law contains the appropriate controller/processor distinctions and does not mandate data localization.
BSA also worked with the Japanese government to improve the process for adopting SaaS solutions through its Information System Security Management and Assessment Program (ISMAP).
5. Bringing Together Industry on Data Transfers
BSA’s Global Data Alliance Cross-Border Data Policy Index ranked nearly 100 countries on how well they facilitate citizen access to knowledge, information, digital tools, and economic opportunity. Read the full report here.
6. State Policy Work on AI and Privacy
BSA established enterprise software as a constructive voice on AI policy as US state legislative activity increased 440%. BSA’s analysis of state legislative activity on AI is here. Eight states – Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas – enacted comprehensive privacy laws reflecting BSA positions.
7. US Procurement Agenda
BSA released its first US procurement agenda, including how government agencies should use AI to modernize IT by developing more comprehensive solutions, including the integration of multi-cloud environments.
8. Cross-Sector Leadership
The Digital Transformation Network and the Global Data Alliance, key initiatives of BSA, continued to grow, bringing together leading companies around the world in 15+ industry sectors, including advanced manufacturing, automotive, consumer goods, energy, financial services, healthcare, retail, media, and telecommunications industries to illustrate the impact of software.
We demonstrated the impact of AI across industries with reports and Congressional briefings on AI and construction, financial services, health care, and supply chain.
9. BSA’s Inaugural TRANSFORM Summit
BSA convened high-level leaders from government, industry, and civil society to discuss the top tech policy issues at the inaugural TRANSFORM Summit in May 2023. BSA member companies joined national media and government officials to discuss AI, cybersecurity, sustainability, and more. Read the TechPost recap here or watch video clips from TRANSFORM here.
10. Media Success
BSA drove the conversation around AI and data privacy, tripling the value of our media coverage and more than doubling our reach through top-tier media. BSA CEO Victoria Espinel led the AI conversation in Fortune, the Financial Times, and Fast Company. BSA’s views on AI were covered extensively in Axios, Politico, CNBC, and the Washington Post, among other outlets. BSA’s work on issues including cybersecurity and privacy gained national attention in the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, and Politico. BSA’s and our cross-sector initiative, the Global Data Alliance’s expertise on cross-border data was covered by the Washington Post, Nikkei, and more.