Transatlantic dialogue in an age of disruption: The 2026 TAB conference

Geopolitical fragmentation, technological disruption, democratic pressures, and shifting global power dynamics — these are among the most pressing challenges facing Europe, the United States, and their partners around the world. These topics formed the core of the annual Transatlantic Bridge Conference (TAB), held May 29–30, 2026. 

The conference is a collaboration among the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), IE University School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs, and the Sciences Po Paris School of International Affairs.

Hosted this year by Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe in Bologna, Italy, the conference welcomed 40 participants from academia, government, journalism, and public policy. Over two days of discussions under the Chatham House Rule — five working sessions and a keynote — they explored the future of European security, the governance of artificial intelligence, economic resilience and trade, democratic legitimacy, financial stability, and the implications of an increasingly interconnected global landscape.

“Underlying all the conversations — about security, trade, AI — there was clear recognition that we have to be attentive to the domestic political situation of the U.S. and countries in Europe which affect the degree of latitude and the direction leaders can take to work together to address shared challenges,” said Jennifer Gandhi, Howard Wang ’95 Professor of Global Affairs and Political Science and Deputy Dean of the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs.

Artificial intelligence emerged as a central topic. Participants examined how advances in AI are reshaping economic competitiveness, national security, labor markets, and public policy, and compared the approaches being pursued by the United States, Europe, and China — including the challenge democratic governments face in balancing innovation, regulation, and accountability.

Economic resilience and trade featured prominently throughout the conference. “The conversation kept returning to a central challenge: how do you balance economic openness with concerns about competitiveness, technological leadership, and economic security?” said Jim Levinsohn, Charles W. Goodyear Professor of Global Affairs and Dean of the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs.

Rupture and repair

The conference also examined the health of democratic institutions. A keynote discussion on the future of politics addressed declining trust in institutions, political polarization, and the link between democratic legitimacy and governments’ ability to deliver tangible economic and social outcomes.

A public panel, “After the Rupture? Rebuilding the Transatlantic Bridge,” brought together leaders from the four partner institutions to reflect on the future of transatlantic cooperation — how democratic societies can respond to geopolitical competition, economic fragmentation, technological change, and domestic political pressures while preserving the partnerships that have underpinned international stability for decades. Additional sessions examined international finance and Asia’s growing influence on the global order, from the future of the monetary system to U.S.-China relations and Europe’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific.

Across the two days, participants returned to a common theme: security, economics, technology, and democratic governance are increasingly interconnected, and today’s policy challenges can no longer be addressed in isolation.

“The transatlantic relationship remains central to international stability, but it faces growing challenges — from security and economic competition to technological disruption and democratic pressures,” said James B. Steinberg, Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS. “Bringing together leading thinkers and practitioners to engage these issues is central to our mission.”