Susan Ariel Aaronson is a research professor of international affairs at the George Washington University, where she directs the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub and leads research on artificial intelligence, digital trade, and data governance. She is also a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation and co-principal investigator at the NSF-NIST Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS), focusing on the governance and societal impacts of AI and emerging technologies. 

Aaronson’s work examines the intersection of technology, economic policy, human rights, and global governance, with particular emphasis on how governments regulate data flows, digital trade, and artificial intelligence. Through the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, she has led initiatives aimed at helping policymakers, industry leaders, and the public better understand the implications of data-driven economies and AI governance. Her recent research has focused on AI nationalism, responsible AI, public participation in AI policymaking, and the geopolitical implications of digital regulation. 

A widely published scholar and commentator, Aaronson is the author of several books and numerous academic and policy publications on trade, globalization, and digital governance. Her work has appeared in journals and outlets including the Oxford Review of Economic Policy, World Trade Review, Barron’s, and Fortune. She has also provided commentary for NPR, CNN, BBC, PBS, and other international media outlets on issues related to trade, technology, and global economic policy. 

Aaronson previously served as a guest scholar at the Brookings Institution and as a research fellow at the World Trade Institute. She earned degrees from Binghamton University, Columbia University, and Johns Hopkins University. 

Aaronson was an event speaker at the Dialogue.