AI Laws Around the World

AI technology has rocketed to the forefront this past year, especially with the introduction of ChatGPT which has taken the internet by storm. There are a wide variety of AI platforms and AI tools to choose from now, from AI voice generators to AI art generators and everything in between. With this recent uptick in the use of artificial intelligence, governments around the world have been implementing an increasing number of AI laws, policies, and strategies to be able to help regulate this emerging technology. Where can you find more information on all of the AI legislation that has been enacted? The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) created a database of national AI policies that provides a live repository of more than 1,000 AI policy initiatives from 69 countries, territories, and the European Union. New AI policies and strategies are being implemented by governments around the world every day, and the OECD’s repository constantly updates to keep up with all of the new AI legislation. Read on in this report by AIPRM to see which countries’ governments have taken the lead in creating AI legislation that addresses innovation, competition, the digital economy, social and welfare issues, public governance, and so much more.

Which Country Has the Most AI Laws? #

The country with the most AI laws is the United States which had 82 AI policies and strategies in place at the time this research was conducted in March, 2024. Of the 82 AI initiatives: 33 are governance policies, 25 are guidance and regulation policies, 14 are AI enablers and other incentive policies, and 10 are financial support policies. The national AI strategy for the U.S. is called the “Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence”, which outlines new standards for AI safety and security, protects Americans’ privacy, stands up for consumers and workers, advances equity and civil rights, promotes innovation and competition, and advances American leadership around the world.

The 10 Countries with the Most AI Strategies and Policies

1. United States: 82
2. European Union: 63
3. United Kingdom: 61
4. Australia: 44
5. Germany: 38
6. Portugal: 36
7. Turkey: 36
8. France: 34
9. India: 32
10. Colombia: 30

Does the European Union Have AI Laws? #

Yes, the European Union has 63 AI policies and strategies in place, as of March 2024. The EU ranks second after the United States for having the most AI laws. Nearly half of the initiatives are governance policies, and another large portion of initiatives fall under guidance and regulation policies. The EU’s national AI policy is called the “Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence”, which is a plan that builds on the “Declaration of Cooperation” between all of the EU member states and emphasizes the willingness to cooperate closely when it comes to artificial intelligence. The EU’s national strategy also includes actions to facilitate access to computing power, microelectronics, testing and experimentation facilities (TEFs), and digital innovation hubs in the context of generative artificial intelligence. The EU’s annual budget for their national strategy is estimated to be more than $500 million.

What is the AI Act? #

On March 13, 2024 the European Union formally adopted the EU Artificial Intelligence Act in a landslide victory with 523 votes in favor of the legislation and just 46 votes against it. The “ AI Act” is the world’s first comprehensive horizontal law governing artificial intelligence. The law provides rules on data quality, transparency, accountability, and human oversight that apply to all nations in the European Union. It is expected to have a large impact on many companies that conduct business in the EU, with fines that amount to either 7% of global annual revenue or up to 35 million euros. The AI Act is considered a key piece of legislation that the EU hopes will serve as a blue print for other countries implementing their own AI laws.

What Are the Four Categories of AI Policies and Strategies? #

The OECD assigns the AI initiatives to four different categories, although some initiatives were found to fall under multiple categories. The four categories of AI laws are governance policies, guidance and regulation policies, AI enablers and other incentive policies, and financial support policies. For a majority of the countries, governance policies make up the largest chunk of each country’s AI strategies and policies. Below you’ll find each of the four categories of national AI policies and strategies, and the various policy instruments that make up each of them. The policy instruments have been listed in order of importance, based on the total number of AI initiatives that fall under each one.

1. Governance Policies #

• National strategies, agendas, and plans
• Public consultations of stakeholders or experts
• AI use in the public sector
• AI coordination and/or monitoring bodies

2. Guidance and Regulation Policies #

• Emerging AI-related regulation
• Regulatory oversight and ethical advice bodies
• Standards and certification for technology development and adoption

3. AI Enablers and Other Incentive Policies #

• Networking and collaborative platforms
• Data access and sharing
• AI computing and research infrastructure
• Public awareness campaigns and civic participation activities
• AI skills and education
• Science and innovation challenges, prizes, and awards
• Knowledge transfers and business advisory services
• Labor market policies

4. Financial Support Policies #

• Project grants for public research
• Grants for business R&D and innovation
• Fellowships and postgraduate loans and scholarships
• Procurement programs for AI R&D and innovation
• Institutional funding for public research
• Centers of excellence grants
• Indirect financial support
• Equity financing
• Loans and credits for innovation in firms

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The Complete List of the 71 Countries Ranked by Number of National AI Policies and Strategies #

Estimated Budget Expenditure for National Strategy #

Range per Year	Countries
<$1M	Sweden, Chile, Luxembourg, Iceland, Uruguay
$1M - $5M	Portugal, Colombia, Malta, Estonia, Lithuania
$5M - $20M	Turkey, Serbia, Argentina, Bulgaria
$20M - $50M	India, Canada, Latvia
$50M - $100M	Australia, Netherlands, Denmark
$100M - $500M	Germany, Spain, Slovenia
$500M<	European Union, France, Japan, Korea