The leaders of BRICS nations used their 17th annual summit in Rio de Janeiro to issue a unified call for a more inclusive system of global AI governance. The call is one that prioritizes the needs of the Global South while ensuring respect for national sovereignty and the responsible development of artificial intelligence.
In a sweeping joint declaration, BRICS heads of state—representing Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new members including Indonesia, Nigeria, and Kazakhstan—adopted the “BRICS Leaders’ Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence.” The document signals a coordinated push to shape global rules for AI based on equity, inclusion, and shared development goals.
“We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a milestone opportunity to boost development towards a more prosperous future,” the declaration stated. The report emphasizes responsible AI must align with national regulatory frameworks and guided by the principles of the United Nations Charter.
BRICS is positioning itself as a counterweight to Western-led initiatives that it views as exclusionary or overly prescriptive. Leaders underscored the importance of ensuring that AI governance “mitigates potential risks and addresses the needs of all countries, including those of the Global South,” with the United Nations playing a central coordinating role.
The summit established BRICS study groups focused on AI ethics, data sovereignty, and AI’s role in sustainable industrial development. These include initiatives under the BRICS Institute of Future Networks and collaboration through new AI-focused working groups under the BRICS Partnership on the New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR).
The bloc also reaffirmed its commitment to using AI to support equitable growth. This includes support for shared training data repositories that respects culture, investment in local ecosystems, and measures to reduce harms.
BRICS leaders acknowledging risks around bias, misinformation, and surveillance. That’s why leaders stressed the need for trust-building and inclusive access to AI, especially for least developed countries. They further rejected “unilateral, punitive, or discriminatory protectionist measures” under the pretext of digital or environmental regulation. Instead, they called for shared norms developed through multilateral dialogue.
The summit marked a significant deepening of BRICS cooperation on AI across health, labor, education, and intellectual property domains. BRICS nations committed to joint research, data-sharing, and regulatory alignment to ensure AI is safe and beneficial for all.
BRICS’ collective stance represents a pivot toward multipolar governance—one that amplifies the priorities of the Global South.
The next BRICS Summit will be hosted in India in 2026. That’s where implementation of the AI governance roadmap is expected to be a central focus.
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