The BRICS nations have formally proposed that the United Nations take the lead in establishing a global artificial intelligence governance framework, marking a direct challenge to Western dominance in setting international AI standards.
At the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 7, 2025, leaders from the expanded bloc of 11 emerging economies adopted a declaration recognizing AI as "a milestone opportunity to boost development towards a more prosperous future" while emphasizing that "global governance of AI should mitigate potential risks and address the needs of all countries, including those of the Global South."
The proposal reflects BRICS' growing geopolitical ambitions and technological priorities under Brazil's 2025 presidency theme of "Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable" development. The bloc, which now represents over 40% of the world's population following its January 2025 expansion to include Indonesia, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan, has significantly amplified its collective voice on technology governance issues.
"We must prevent standard-setting processes from being used as barriers to market entry for small businesses and developing economies," the BRICS leaders stated in their declaration, which also called for open-source collaboration, protection of digital sovereignty, and safeguards for intellectual property that do not hinder technology transfer to poorer countries.
The BRICS vision for a UN-led, development-focused AI governance framework emphasizes sovereignty and inclusive growth while directly challenging Western-led initiatives like the G7's Hiroshima AI Process. Their unified stance asserts that global AI governance must be "representative, development-oriented, accessible, inclusive, dynamic, responsive" while respecting national sovereignty.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, which will assume BRICS chairmanship in 2026, called on member nations to "collectively pursue the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence" and announced plans to host an "AI Impact Summit" during India's tenure. Modi emphasized that "AI for All" should be a guiding principle, stressing the importance of balancing innovation with appropriate safeguards.
As BRICS advances its vision for AI governance, companies and international organizations can expect a more complex and multipolar regulatory environment with greater regulatory divergence alongside new opportunities for collaboration on capacity-building aligned with Global South priorities.