From cosmic data to predictive governance: is the Space-AI Governance Nexus emerging?

The convergence of space-based observational infrastructures and artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how governments anticipate and respond to complex global challenges. While scientific missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope have transformed our understanding of the universe, their implications for governance and strategic foresight remain underexplored. This study introduces the Space-AI Governance Nexus, a framework explaining how access to space-derived data infrastructures and national AI interpretive capacity jointly shape predictive governance capabilities. Using a mixed-methods design, the study combines cross-national quantitative analysis of 20 countries with qualitative evidence from 22 expert interviews and comparative case studies. The empirical analysis demonstrates that both space data access and AI capacity are positively associated with predictive governance, global advisory influence, and policy innovation. Moderation analysis further shows that institutional openness strengthens the relationship between AI capacity and governance outcomes. The findings highlight the emergence of epistemic asymmetries in global governance, whereby unequal access to advanced data infrastructures and interpretive technologies reinforces existing geopolitical hierarchies. By situating JWST within a broader ecosystem of space-based observational systems, the study contributes to research in technological forecasting, AI governance, and global political economy. The results underscore the need for inclusive data-sharing frameworks and international cooperation to mitigate emerging inequalities in predictive governance capacity.