The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has prompted global leaders to consider its implications on international relations, economic development, and societal well-being. Recognizing both the transformative potential and the challenges posed by AI, the BRICS nations, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, have called for a unified approach to its governance. Their recent declaration emphasizes the need for a global framework that ensures equitable access, ethical development, and the prevention of monopolistic practices in AI technology.
At the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025, leaders from these nations underscored the importance of establishing international principles for AI development and application. They highlighted AI as a “unique opportunity” to drive inclusive growth, innovation, and sustainability, while cautioning that without fair governance, it could exacerbate the “digital divide” between developed and developing countries. This sentiment reflects a collective desire to harness AI’s benefits without deepening existing global inequalities.
BRICS Leaders Advocate for UN-Led AI Governance
In their joint statement, BRICS leaders called for the United Nations to take the lead in formulating global rules for AI. They emphasized that AI governance should be anchored in the UN system to ensure inclusivity and legitimacy. This approach aims to prevent standard-setting processes from becoming barriers to market entry for small businesses and developing economies, promoting a fair and transparent market environment. The leaders also highlighted the need for technical specifications and protocols that involve the public sector and UN agencies to ensure trust, interoperability, security, and reliability across different AI-powered platforms and applications.
The emphasis on UN-led governance underscores a commitment to multilateralism and the belief that AI’s rapid evolution requires a coordinated international response. By involving the UN, BRICS nations seek to create a governance framework that is universally accepted and capable of addressing the diverse challenges posed by AI technologies. This initiative reflects a broader trend among developing nations to assert their influence in global tech governance, ensuring that their interests are represented in shaping the future of AI.
Furthermore, the BRICS declaration advocates for the protection of digital sovereignty, allowing each country to develop its own regulatory frameworks for AI in line with its development goals and legal frameworks. This includes capacity-building, data governance, and technological autonomy, ensuring that nations can harness AI’s benefits while upholding fundamental rights and national interests.
Inclusive Access and Ethical Development of AI
The BRICS leaders emphasized the importance of fair, inclusive, and equitable access to AI technologies. They called for international cooperation to facilitate access to AI technology and critical components, aiming to remove barriers to financial resources required for AI research and innovation. This approach seeks to ensure that all countries, irrespective of their economic standing, have the right to benefit from, develop, and use AI, thereby promoting a more balanced global technological landscape.
Ethical considerations are central to the BRICS framework. The leaders highlighted the need for AI systems to be developed and deployed in line with national regulatory frameworks and international principles, particularly under the UN Charter and with respect for national sovereignty and security. They called for strengthening international AI governance through a fully inclusive and representative framework led by the UN, prioritizing transparency, ethical standards, data protection, and equitable development outcomes, especially to address digital and data inequalities between and within countries.
Addressing concerns about algorithmic bias and the exclusion of underrepresented cultures and languages in AI datasets and models, the BRICS declaration advocates for ethical, transparent, and accountable AI development that reflects cultural, demographic, and linguistic diversity. This includes endorsing UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and calling for international cooperation to develop inclusive datasets, tools to flag misinformation, and mechanisms to mitigate bias, especially against vulnerable groups like women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
Data Governance and Intellectual Property Rights
Data governance is a critical aspect of the BRICS approach to AI. The leaders highlighted that fair, inclusive, and equitable governance of data is essential to enable developing countries to harness the benefits of the digital economy and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. They acknowledged the need to establish data governance frameworks to build trust and provide equitable, agreed-upon, safe, and secure access to quality data by developing countries, while respecting applicable legal frameworks related to privacy, protection of personal data, algorithmic transparency, intellectual property rights, and national security.
Regarding intellectual property rights, the BRICS leaders emphasized the need for a balance between proprietary rights, transparency, and accountability to safeguard public interest, the international transfer of technology, and compliance with domestic legislation and applicable international law. Appropriate protection of intellectual property rights and, in particular, copyright against unauthorized AI use must be in place to prevent exploitative data extraction and violation of privacy, allowing for fair remuneration mechanisms. Safeguards must ensure accountability and compliance with relevant legislation, including transparency over AI model inputs and outputs.
This balanced approach aims to protect the interests of creators and innovators while ensuring that AI technologies are accessible and beneficial to all nations, particularly those in the Global South. By addressing data governance and intellectual property rights, the BRICS declaration seeks to create an environment where AI can be developed and utilized responsibly and inclusively.
Environmental Sustainability and AI
The BRICS leaders also addressed the environmental impact of AI technologies. They highlighted the role of BRICS in fighting climate change and supporting economic transitions to low-carbon growth. The declaration emphasizes the importance of ensuring that AI systems respect cultural diversity and promote environmental sustainability in their development and deployment. This includes advocating for open-source collaboration and the protection of digital sovereignty, fair competition in AI markets, and safeguards for intellectual property that do not hinder technology transfer to poorer countries.
By integrating environmental considerations into the AI governance framework, the BRICS nations aim to ensure that technological advancements contribute positively to global sustainability goals. This approach reflects a holistic understanding of AI’s role in society, recognizing its potential to address complex challenges such as climate change while mitigating potential adverse effects.
Furthermore, the leaders called for open-source collaboration, the protection of digital sovereignty, fair competition in AI markets, and safeguards for intellectual property that do not hinder technology transfer to poorer countries. These measures are intended to promote inclusive innovation ecosystems and ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed in ways that are environmentally sustainable and socially responsible.
The BRICS declaration on AI governance represents a significant step toward establishing a global framework that is inclusive, ethical, and responsive to the needs of developing nations. By advocating for UN-led governance, inclusive access, ethical development, and balanced data and intellectual property policies, the BRICS nations aim to ensure that AI serves as a tool for equitable and sustainable development worldwide. This initiative underscores the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing the complex challenges posed by rapidly advancing technologies and reflects a collective commitment to shaping a future where AI benefits all of humanity.
As AI continues to evolve and permeate various aspects of society, the principles outlined in the BRICS declaration provide a foundation for international collaboration and governance. By adhering to these principles, nations can work together to harness AI’s potential while mitigating its risks, ensuring that technological progress contributes positively to global well-being and addresses the diverse challenges faced by different regions and communities.
