AI Regulation

Global AIAI Regulation

The global debate over AI regulation is intensifying as countries navigate the balance between innovation and safety. One side emphasizes AI’s transformative potential to revolutionize industries, solve complex challenges, and drive economic growth, advocating for light-touch regulation. They warn that excessive restrictions may stifle innovation, hinder competitiveness, and drive AI development toward less regulated regions.

Conversely, advocates of stricter regulation highlight AI’s potential risks. They point to algorithmic biases that could exacerbate discrimination, job displacement concerns, and dangers of autonomous weapon systems. Privacy advocates, human rights organizations, and regulators emphasize the need for accountability and safeguards as AI becomes more integrated into society.

In Europe, the EU AI Act, expected to be the first comprehensive AI law, underscores this push for responsible AI use. The Act, set for finalization by early 2024, introduces a risk-based framework categorizing AI applications, setting rigorous standards for high-risk uses such as facial recognition. This mirrors global conversations among policymakers, privacy advocates, and industry leaders working toward a balanced approach that ensures AI’s societal benefits while addressing its potential threats.

Key AI Regulatory Developments to Look Out for in 2025  

As AI adoption accelerates, 2025 will see critical shifts in the regulatory and policy landscape. Here are key developments and trends to monitor: 

1. Full Implementation of the EU AI Act
  • Effective Dates: Several provisions of the EU AI Act come into force, including: 
  • Prohibited Practices (Article 5): Real-time biometric identification in public spaces, social scoring, and manipulative AI practices will face enforcement scrutiny. 
  • High-Risk Systems Compliance: Organizations deploying high-risk AI systems will need to comply with transparency, risk management, and governance obligations. 
  • AI Literacy Requirements: Companies must ensure employees using AI systems are adequately trained, with mandatory literacy programs becoming enforceable. 
  • Impact: Businesses operating in the EU will face significant compliance demands, particularly in industries like healthcare, finance, and recruitment. 
2. Expansion of AI Risk Management Frameworks
  • United States: Following the release of the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, further industry-specific guidelines are expected, particularly in sectors such as defense, healthcare, and education. 
  • Global Alignment: Countries like Japan and Australia may adopt similar frameworks to address cross-border interoperability and facilitate international collaboration. 
3. ESG and AI Integration
  • Australia: Expanded use of tools like the AI Impact Navigator will influence global ESG reporting standards. 
  • Global Standards: Expect broader adoption of AI-driven ESG monitoring solutions to comply with sustainability requirements. 
4. AI and Employment Regulations
  • United States: The Department of Labor’s 2024 workplace AI guidelines will likely influence broader employment standards, with discussions on AI transparency, worker retraining, and governance gaining momentum globally. 
  • EU and UK: AI’s impact on employment conditions will feature prominently in labor law updates, particularly as unions and regulators push for greater accountability.
5. National Security and AI Governance
  • United States: The White House memo on national security and AI leadership sets a foundation for more robust measures, potentially including export controls and AI supply chain security initiatives. 
  • China: Continued development of its AI regulations, with a focus on national security and technological independence. 
  • Global Collaboration: Forums like the G7 and OECD will push for standardized AI governance frameworks to address global risks.
6. Generative AI Regulation
  • Content Labeling: New requirements for labeling AI-generated content, particularly in the EU and Japan, will shape how businesses use generative AI tools. 
  • IP and Copyright: Regulatory clarity on intellectual property in generative AI outputs is expected, with implications for industries like media, publishing, and entertainment.
7. Consumer Protection and Privacy
  • AI-Specific Consumer Laws: Australia and Japan’s consultations on AI and consumer law in 2024 will likely result in updated legal frameworks in 2025. 
  • Global Data Protection: Expect tighter restrictions on AI systems handling personal data, with privacy commissioners worldwide pushing for compliance with existing frameworks.
8. AI in Financial Services
  • Hong Kong: Continued implementation of the dual-track policy for AI governance in financial markets, focusing on risk management. 
  • Global Fintech Regulations: Financial regulators will increasingly scrutinize AI use in areas such as algorithmic trading, fraud detection, and customer service.
9. Emerging Markets
  • Africa: Countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria are developing AI strategies, focusing on ethical AI adoption and innovation in local contexts. 
  • India: Expected rollout of guidelines for AI ethics, data sovereignty, and fairness in large-scale government and private sector projects.
10. AI Innovation Acceleration
  • UK’s RIO Expansion: The Regulatory Innovation Office will broaden its focus, addressing emerging AI applications in connected technology, autonomous systems, and healthcare. 
  • China and US R&D: Continued investment in AI research, with a focus on quantum computing integration and advanced machine learning techniques. 

Strategic Recommendations for 2025 

  • Audit AI Systems: Regularly assess compliance with new regulations, particularly for high-risk and generative AI applications. 
  • Strengthen Governance: Implement robust AI governance frameworks with clear accountability and human oversight mechanisms. 
  • Enhance AI Literacy: Invest in employee training programs to meet mandatory literacy requirements in jurisdictions like the EU. 
  • Monitor Global Trends: Stay informed about regional developments, especially in rapidly evolving markets like Asia-Pacific and Africa. 

2025 is set to be a pivotal year in aligning AI innovation with robust regulatory frameworks, shaping the future of technology adoption globally. 

Significance in Today's Landscape

As AI adoption accelerates, regulatory efforts worldwide are intensifying, with countries like the United States, Singapore, China, and the European Union working to establish tailored regulatory frameworks. Each region aims to address its unique concerns, including data privacy, ethical AI practices, and accountability, often reflecting local societal values and economic priorities. For example:

    • European Union: The EU is pushing forward with its AI Act, which seeks to regulate AI based on risk categories. This comprehensive legislation could be one of the world’s strictest AI laws, emphasizing consumer protection, transparency, and accountability.
    • United States: The U.S. is advancing a sector-specific approach, with proposals focusing on safeguarding privacy and fair competition, especially in finance, healthcare, and law enforcement. Recent executive orders and legislative proposals highlight AI safety, bias mitigation, and maintaining technological leadership.
    • China: China’s regulatory efforts prioritize national security and social stability, with a strong focus on AI governance and monitoring to prevent misuse. The country has proposed strict guidelines for generative AI, especially in content creation and social media, emphasizing the importance of aligning AI development with government priorities.
    • Singapore: Known for its forward-thinking digital policies, Singapore is pursuing an “ethical by design” approach, encouraging businesses to adopt best practices in transparency and accountability through its Model AI Governance Framework. This model is geared towards fostering innovation while ensuring ethical AI use.

AI Regulation country by country

AI Plans and Developments Table
Country/Region AI Plans and Developments Key Highlights Source
European Union Preparing for the EU AI Act, focusing on prohibitions (Article 5) and mandatory AI literacy (Article 4).
  • Compliance deadline for Articles 4 and 5: February 2025.
  • Advisory programs like Simmons & Simmons’ AI Literacy Programme launched to aid businesses.
  • Prohibited practices remain complex; organizations are urged to seek guidance.
EU AI Act
Australia Published AI and ESG guidance emphasizing responsible AI’s role in advancing ESG goals.
  • AI Impact Navigator assesses AI’s ESG performance (rating from ‘poor’ to ‘excellent’).
  • Consumer law consultation open until 12 November 2024.
  • Privacy Act guidance for generative AI training and product use.
Australian Government and Office of the Australian Information Commissioner Guidance
United States The Department of Labor issued workplace AI guidelines focusing on transparency and ethical use.
  • Workplace AI guidelines promote worker rights and retraining for displaced employees.
  • National security memo emphasizes protecting AI systems and global leadership in AI.
  • Agencies required to report progress on implementation.
US Department of Labor Guidelines (October 2024), White House National Security Memo
Poland Opened consultations to align national legislation with the EU AI Act.
  • General consultation ends 15 November 2024.
  • Article 5 consultation on prohibited practices open until 31 December 2024.
  • Focus on innovation while implementing transparency measures.
Polish Ministry of Digital Affairs Announcement, October 2024
Hong Kong Released a dual-track AI policy for financial markets.
  • Promotes responsible AI in financial services.
  • Institutions must ensure safeguards for high-risk AI applications.
  • Collaboration with academia to build AI adoption capacity.
Hong Kong Government Policy Statement, October 2024
Japan Issued AI safety and red teaming guidance with a focus on human-centric principles.
  • AI safety principles focus on eliminating bias and ensuring data security.
  • Red teaming protocols include training on misinformation and attacks.
  • Generative AI consultation open until 22 November 2024.
Japanese AI Safety Institute Guidance and Japan Fair Trade Commission Consultation
United Kingdom Launched the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to support tech innovation.
  • Aims to position the UK as a top destination for tech investment.
  • Reduces regulatory hurdles for faster tech deployment.
  • Commitment to innovation-driven economic growth.
UK Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology Announcement, October 2024
G7 Nations Held a summit to address competition concerns related to AI development.
  • Emphasized risks to IP and privacy in AI.
  • Guiding principles for fair competition and AI risk mitigation.
G7 Competition Summit Statement, October 2024

How we can help or you can help yourself : Comply with global regulation

To be compliant with the various AI regulations and standards as a global firm, you need a comprehensive and strategic approach that accounts for jurisdictional differences while ensuring ethical, responsible, and transparent AI practices. Below is a roadmap to achieve compliance across global AI regulations:

1. Establish a Global AI Compliance Framework
  • Centralized Governance: Create a centralized governance structure to oversee AI compliance globally, led by a Chief AI Officer or Compliance Lead. 
  • Local Adaptation: Appoint regional compliance officers to adapt the global framework to local regulatory requirements (e.g., EU AI Act, US NIST Framework, Australian Privacy Act). 
  • Uniform Standards: Implement baseline AI ethical and governance principles (aligned with global standards such as OECD AI Principles and ISO standards) to ensure consistency across jurisdictions. 
2. Conduct a Comprehensive Risk Assessment
  • Inventory AI Systems: Map all AI applications across the organization to identify high-risk systems and their associated jurisdictions. 
  • Risk Evaluation: Evaluate risks associated with each system, such as potential bias, privacy violations, or lack of transparency, using frameworks like the EU AI Act classification or the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. 
  • Mitigation Plans: Develop tailored mitigation strategies for each risk, prioritizing high-risk applications. 
3. Align with Regional and Sectoral Regulations

European Union 

  • High-Risk Systems: Ensure compliance with mandatory requirements under the EU AI Act for high-risk applications, such as: 
  • Transparency (clear user disclosures). 
  • Risk management (continuous monitoring and testing). 
  • Documentation (detailed technical documentation for regulators). 
  • AI Literacy: Roll out employee training programs to meet mandatory literacy requirements (Article 4). 

United States 

  • NIST AI Framework: Adopt the NIST AI Risk Management Framework for a structured approach to AI risks. 
  • Labor Guidelines: Implement AI systems with worker empowerment, human oversight, and transparency in mind. 

Australia 

  • AI Impact Navigator: Use the AI Impact Navigator to evaluate and improve your systems’ ESG performance. 
  • Consumer Protection: Update systems to align with technology-neutral consumer laws and ensure clear user consent for data collection. 

Japan 

  • AI Safety Guidelines: Incorporate safety evaluation principles (human-centricity, fairness, transparency) into system design. 
  • Red Teaming: Regularly test systems against potential vulnerabilities through structured red-teaming exercises. 

Global Standards 

  • Generative AI Regulation: Label AI-generated content and review intellectual property compliance across jurisdictions. 
4. Enhance Transparency and Documentation
  • Explainable AI: Develop explainable AI systems where decisions and outputs can be clearly understood by users and regulators. 
  • Algorithmic Accountability: Document AI system design, data sources, and decision-making processes to demonstrate compliance. 
  • Audit Trails: Maintain comprehensive audit logs for all AI systems, particularly those in high-risk sectors like finance, healthcare, and recruitment. 
5. Strengthen Data Privacy and Security
  • Data Localization: Comply with data sovereignty laws by ensuring data is stored and processed in approved jurisdictions. 
  • Privacy by Design: Incorporate privacy principles into AI system development, such as data minimization and anonymization. 
  • Cybersecurity Measures: Protect AI systems from malicious actors by adhering to global cybersecurity best practices (e.g., ISO 27001). 
6. Implement Robust AI Governance
  • Ethical Oversight: Establish an AI Ethics Board to oversee system design, development, and deployment. 
  • Human Oversight: Ensure critical decisions made by AI are subject to human review, particularly in high-risk applications like hiring or credit scoring. 
  • Continuous Monitoring: Regularly evaluate AI systems to ensure ongoing compliance and alignment with ethical principles.

7. Invest in Employee Training and Culture

  • AI Literacy Programs: Educate employees on regional AI laws and the ethical use of AI. 
  • Awareness Campaigns: Promote a culture of accountability and transparency in AI use. 
  • Specialized Training: Train key teams, including developers, compliance officers, and data scientists, on jurisdiction-specific regulations. 
8. Collaborate with Regulators and Industry Peers
  • Regulatory Engagement: Stay informed on evolving regulations by engaging with local regulators and participating in public consultations. 
  • Industry Consortia: Join industry groups or consortia to share best practices and shape emerging standards. 
  • Third-Party Audits: Use independent auditors to verify compliance and identify gaps. 
9. Proactively Prepare for Audits
  • Compliance Reporting: Develop clear, standardized reports on AI compliance for internal and external stakeholders. 
  • Mock Audits: Conduct regular internal audits to simulate regulatory inspections and address gaps. 
  • Regulatory Readiness: Ensure documentation and compliance records are readily accessible. 
10. Monitor and Adapt to Regulatory Changes
  • Global Monitoring System: Use AI tools or compliance services to track regulatory updates in all operating jurisdictions. 
  • Dynamic Compliance Strategy: Adapt policies and systems in real-time to address new regulations or guidance.

By adopting this structured approach, global firms can proactively address compliance challenges, reduce legal risks, and build trust with stakeholders, ensuring responsible AI development and deployment across diverse regulatory environments 

WHO DOES IT IMPACT?

Any firm that relies on AI models in their decision making

Asset Managers
Banks
Supervisors
Commodity Houses
Fintechs

How Can We Help?

Working with senior AI and Compliance advisors who are at the forefront of AI supervisory dialogue, we can support the below activities

The following steps can summarise it:

1

AI Ethics Consultations:

T3 AI compliance advisors can offer consultations on ethical AI use and help to develop ethical guidelines for AI deployment.

2

Technical Auditing

Our Technical Auditors can run audits to ensure AI systems are built and operated in compliance with legal and ethical standards, and identify biases and other issues in AI algorithms.

3

Data Governance

Our financial data experts can assist in the establishment of robust data governance frameworks ensuring data privacy and security compliance.

4

Documentation and Reporting

T3 can help document AI systems, processes, and data handling procedures for regulatory compliance and assist in the preparation of compliance reports and other required documentation.

5

Algorithm Transparency and Explainability

Our AI modellers can help enhance the transparency and explainability of AI algorithms in order to create clear, understandable explanations of how AI systems make decisions.

6

Impact Assessments

This involves conducting AI impact assessments to evaluate the potential risks and benefits of AI projects, identifying potential negative impacts and suggesting mitigation strategies.

7

Third-party Vendor Assessment

We work with numerous vendors and can help with assessing the compliance of third-party vendors and partners in the AI ecosystem ensuring that external partners adhere to required legal and ethical standards.

8

Customized Compliance Solutions

T3 can develop tailored compliance frameworks and solutions based on the specific needs and risks associated with a company’s AI projects and implement compliance monitoring and management systems.

9

Incident Response Planning

Our senior compliance advisors can work with your legal council to prepare you for potential legal or ethical issues related to AI as well as develop and implement incident response plans to manage and mitigate risks.

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