The proposal formulated within the BRICS institutions reflects the willingness of emerging economies to not passively undergo a digital transition dictated solely by dominant technological poles, but to actively participate in the establishment of global norms of security and control.

This need for regulation proves all the more critical as the risks associated with advanced applications of artificial intelligence directly affect economic stability, cybersecurity, and state sovereignty. The absence of binding safeguards exposes markets and institutions to heightened vulnerabilities, ranging from information manipulation to failures in control over critical infrastructure. By advocating for external audits, mandatory reporting of serious incidents, and the continuous adaptation of security requirements, the South African approach underscores that mastery of technological innovation requires the institutionalization of permanent scientific vigilance and shared early-warning mechanisms at the international level.

For developing countries, the issue is not limited to the adoption of exogenous prudential rules, but encompasses the construction of sovereign capacities for evaluation and adaptation. The proliferation of multilateral initiatives—whether expert panels or regulator networks—will bear fruit only if accompanied by effective skills transfer and increased participation of Global South economies in decision-making bodies. The viability of the global governance architecture for artificial intelligence therefore depends on its ability to reconcile the imperative of collective security with equitable access to the benefits of digital transformation, ensuring that technological innovation remains a lever of shared progress rather than an additional source of geo-economic fragmentation.


The editorial team

Tags: intelligence artificielle gouvernance afrique du sud brics réglementation sécurité économie émergente normes mondiales souveraineté transfert de compétences