Governing Chips as Knowledge Commons

Researcher: Simom Sun

This project explores the governance of chips from a knowledge commons perspective. Knowledge commons research builds on Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom’s theory of the commons, in which she proposed eight design principles, including clearly defined boundaries and congruence between appropriation and provision rules, to explain how institutional design can manage collective action problems and avoid the tragedy of the commons. Central to this approach is the concept of polycentric governance, in which multiple, overlapping centers of authority interact across scales.

Knowledge commons represent a critical extension of commons theory. Although they share key characteristics with public goods, non-rivalry and non-subtractability, they generate governance challenges with tangible consequences for biophysical resources. In particular, the infrastructures that enable knowledge production and use often exhibit high subtractability, despite its non-rivalry nature, resembling common-pool resources (CPRs). As a result, governance challenges surrounding knowledge commons span both virtual and physical domains.

This study conceptualizes chips as knowledge commons and examines the institutional dilemmas arising from their governance. It adopts the Knowledge Commons Framework, foregrounding the co-evolution of intangible resources and material infrastructures. Building on this framework, the project investigates chip technologies, the semiconductor industry, and artificial intelligence through a Knowledge Commons governance lens, and analyzes the resulting implications for institutional design and public policy.