Chee Hae Chung is a Post-doctoral Research Associate in the Department of Political Science at Purdue University, where she conducts research at the Computational Social Science (CSS) Lab and the Governance and Responsible AI Lab (GRAIL). Her research addresses the disruptive challenges posed by emerging digital technologies across fields such as political science, public administration, and law. Her scholarly work, including journal articles and conference presentations, covers AI ethics, regulation and governance, digital platform politics, and the evolving dynamics of global political and economic systems. Prior to her current role, she was a Post-doctoral Fellow at Seoul National University’s Center for Intelligent Society and Policy (CISP) and worked as a management consultant at global firms like Deloitte Consulting and Arthur D. Little. Additionally, she gained valuable experience through internships at the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea. These diverse academic and professional experiences provide her with a unique interdisciplinary perspective, enriching her technology policy and governance research.

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The advent of Big Tech companies like SpaceX, TikTok, and Naver has significantly changed global governance, sovereignty, and democracy. These firms operate across borders and exert considerable influence over public opinion, political outcomes, and even the dynamics of international conflicts. This paper explores how Big Tech companies, through their control of digital platforms, AI technologies, and data flows, have emerged as quasi-sovereign entities, challenging traditional state-centric governance models. Such actions undermine governments’ ability to maintain complete control over global communication, information management, and military activities, as these companies often operate beyond the reach of national authorities.

This study argues that the rising political complexity posed by these new transnational entities cannot be adequately addressed by established theories of international relations (IR) and international political economy (IPE), such as liberalism and realism. The paper also emphasizes the urgent need for a more flexible regulatory structure that considers Big Tech firms' and conventional governments' shifting roles and impacts on global political dynamics. Based on the case studies on SpaceX’s Starlink operations during the early stage of the Ukraine War, national government regulations on TikTok in the U.S., and Naver’s data sovereignty issues in Japan, the study examines how these companies have disrupted global political-economic power dynamics between states and non-state actors. Additionally, by analyzing concepts such as sovereign AI, AI nationalism, and invisible power, the study provides a comprehensive theoretical framework to understand the evolving roles of transnational corporations in global politics.