The EU AI Act is not necessarily the gold standard for the Global Majority
The best regulatory approaches will be inclusive and consider regional context and cultural nuances while taking into account how people are most affected by AI.
COMMENTARY By Paola Galvez-Callirgos
As more countries prepare to draft Artificial Intelligence (AI) legislation in 2025, the temptation to merely replicate the European Union model must be resisted. The nuanced challenges of AI governance demand context-specific approaches that reflect each nation's unique technological, economic and social ecosystem, rather than a one-size-fits-all regulatory strategy.
The recent approval of the Global Digital Compact, the upcoming WSIS+20 discussions, and this week’s AI Action Summit in Paris have created a pivotal moment for global dialogue. This momentum presents an exceptional opportunity for Global Majority nations to actively participate in shaping AI standards, ensuring that governance frameworks reflect diverse local needs, perspectives and developmental contexts.
To transform AI into an inclusive technological paradigm and put in place the necessary guardrails to make AI benefit all humanity, I propose the following strategic steps to guide policymakers in the Global Majority.
Since each country operates within its unique governance, each should start by building a foundation and integrating globally recognized standards into its national AI regulatory framework. Prioritize adherence to the Council of Europe’s AI treaty and the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, ensuring ethical, human-centric and transparent development. This alignment fosters international collaboration and strengthens trust and accountability in AI adoption.
Additionally, policymakers should develop or refine the national AI governance framework through an inclusive process that ensures meaningful public participation. AI policies should reflect the perspectives of diverse stakeholders, particularly those most likely to be affected by AI systems. Therefore, after adopting international frameworks, establish a multi-stakeholder bottom-up process and define the nation’s unique approach to AI governance. To this end, developing regulatory sandboxes where AI systems can be tested and refined in a safe and supervised manner could be an interesting option to explore.
After this, establish cost-effective independent oversight. Designate or expand the mandate of existing regulatory bodies (e.g. DPA) to oversee AI development and deployment. Under-resourced nations can build partnerships with international organizations, NGOs and universities to access technical expertise and best practices.
Along with that, build foundational knowledge early by integrating AI and digital literacy into school and university curricula and partner with Development Banks or the private sector to secure funding. Create AI research and innovation hubs in collaboration with universities and business associations to build local expertise and foster entrepreneurship. These actions will build a skilled workforce capable of driving AI innovation and adoption within the local economy.
Guided by UNESCO’s recommendations on the ethics of AI, implement targeted initiatives such as scholarships, mentorship programs and capacity-building opportunities for women, Indigenous communities and marginalized groups. Furthermore, frameworks for AI development must explicitly respect local traditions, languages and knowledge systems, leveraging them as sources of innovation. Another factor to consider, mandated by the UNESCO global standard, is to ensure that technological progress does not come at the expense of environmental integrity. Hence, nations shall develop guidelines that promote energy-efficient AI technologies and minimize carbon footprints.
The path to a fair and sustainable technological transition is a complex and extensive journey that requires a holistic approach prioritizing national interests, human capital development and inclusive innovation. These are essential first steps in developing comprehensive and beneficial policy frameworks for AI. I hope this piece is a catalyst for action and provides concrete ideas to start or refine the AI regulatory process in every participating country. It’s about time Global Majority countries strategically position themselves as active creators and not merely consumers of AI technologies.
Paola Galvez-Callirgos is a tech policy senior consultant with a master’s of public policy from the University of Oxford and researcher at the Center for AI and Digital Policy.