Competing ambitions regarding the global governance of artificial intelligence: China, the US, and the EU
| Published date | 01 November 2024 |
| Author | Sabine Mokry,Julia Gurol |
| Date | 01 November 2024 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.13444 |
Global Policy. 2024;15:955–968.
|
955
wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/gpol
1 | THE NECESSITY OF
REGULATING AI TECHNOLOGIES
GL O BA LLY
Seemingly technical discus sions about using and regu-
lating artificial intelligence (AI) technolog ies have come
to the forefront of many policy debates. In May 2023,
formal oversight of generative AI was at the core of de-
bates at the G7 summit. G7 leaders underscored the
importance of defining guardr ails for AI development
and usage, highlighting the import ance of “responsi-
ble AI and global AI governance” (Iyengar, 2023). In
a similar vein, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed
in his speech at the 2023 BRICS summit the need to
“jointly fend off risks and develop AI governance frame -
works and standards with broad- based consensus,
so as to make AI technologies more secure, reliable,
controllable and equitable” (Xi, 2023a) before launch-
ing China's Global AI Governance Initiative at the Third
Belt and Road Forum two months later (Xi,2 023b). In
November, the United Kingdom hosted an AI Safety
Summit with delegates from all over the world, which
experts described as a “new c hapter in AI Diplomacy”
(Cuéllar,2023).
As AI technologies are developed and used across
borders and have the potential to transform societies
around the globe, global regulation thereof becomes
necessary. It is widely agreed today that to reap the
benefits that AI brings while preventing or even just min-
imizing risks, global cooperation is nec essary (Erman &
Furend al,2022; von Ingersleben- Seip,2023). This will
necessitate creating an international AI regime, mean-
ing a “set of implicit or explicit princi ples, norms, rules,
and decision- making procedures around which actors'
expectations converge in a given area of international
relations” (Krasner,1983, 2). Aiming at AI governance at
a global level raises new and distinct challenge s (Büthe
etal.,2022; Nitzberg & Zysmann,2022). Apart from the
complexities of global governance in any given policy
field, particular challenge s emerge because of the am-
biguous boundaries to what defines AI and the co ntro-
versy around its ultimate potential—namely, as either
POLICY ANALYSIS
Competing ambitions regarding the global governance of
articial intelligence: China, the US, and the EU
SabineMokry1 | JuliaGurol2
Received: 15 March 20 24
|
Revised: 9 August 2 024
|
Accepted: 16 August 2 024
DO I: 10 .1111/17 58- 589 9.13 444
© 2024 Durham Univer sity and John Wiley & Son s Ltd.
1Institute for Peace Re search and Security
Policy at the Univer sity of Hamburg,
Hamburg, Germany
2Freiburg Univers ity, Freiburg im Breisgau,
Germany
Correspondence
Sabine Mokr y, Institute for Peace Researc h
and Securit y Policy at the Universit y of
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
Email: sabine.mokry@gmail.com
Julia Gurol, Freiburg University, Freiburg
im Breisgau, Ger many.
Email: julia.gurol- haller@politik.uni-
freiburg.de
Abstract
As artificial intelligence (AI) technologie s are developed and used across bor-
ders and have the potential to transform societies worldwid e, global regulation
thereof becomes necessar y. However, key differences exist in how the leading
players in the field, China, the United States, and the EU, view these technolo-
gies and approach their regulation. This ar ticle traces their respective ambitions
on the global governance of AI technologies. It asks how th e three each envision
the latter as well as their role therein. Drawing on frame analysis, we find that
while concrete ideas for coordinating regulati on attempts seem to be of second-
ary importance, all three ac tors feel the need to position themselves within the
new race for leadership on AI regulation. This results in a flurr y of suggested
proposals on how AI should be regulated internationally. Only recently have the
actors started to reflect on why global reg ulation is necessary and to highlight
the respective benefits of their proposal. Ami dst current geopolitical tensions,
the global regulation of AI has become an instr ument of global power ambitions.
Such competition bears huge risks for the further fragmentation of the global
institutional architecture as well as for deepening tens ions between China, the
US, and the EU.
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