Brookings to launch new series on how Global Majority countries approach AI safety

The development of artificial intelligence safety frameworks has largely been dominated by Western perspectives, despite AI’s global impact. The Brookings AI Equity Lab is launching a new series examining how Global Majority countries are approaching AI safety through their own cultural and societal lenses.

The current landscape: Western-centric AI safety paradigms have failed to incorporate diverse linguistic traditions, cultural practices, and value systems from Global Majority nations, creating gaps in how AI safety is conceptualized and implemented globally.

• Many Global Majority countries are developing their own AI strategies and safety frameworks, though representation in major AI model development remains limited
• Regions like Southeast Asia have made significant progress with over 10 countries implementing national AI policies
• The Caribbean and parts of Oceania lag behind, with no published national AI strategies in Caribbean nations

Regional dynamics and challenges: Each global region faces unique obstacles and opportunities in developing locally relevant AI safety approaches.

• African initiatives like the ILINA Program and AI Safety Cape Town are working to increase regional involvement in AI safety research
• Latin American countries are pushing for context-specific approaches and multilingual benchmarks that reflect local needs
• Small island states in Oceania must address specific climate and economic risks in their AI safety frameworks
• Southeast Asian nations are focusing on localized multilingual evaluations and talent development

Critical gaps: The disconnect between Western AI safety frameworks and Global Majority needs reveals several key areas requiring attention.

• Current evaluation frameworks often fail to account for cultural nuances and linguistic diversity
• Many Global Majority countries remain passive data providers rather than active AI producers
• Small and developing nations are frequently excluded from international AI safety discussions
• Present-day AI harms affecting Global Majority communities often take precedence over speculative risks

Path forward: The series identifies concrete steps to create more inclusive and effective AI safety approaches.

• Development of culturally informed benchmarks and evaluation frameworks that reflect diverse perspectives
• Increased meaningful participation from Global Majority researchers in AI safety discussions
• Creation of novel safety frameworks that move beyond Western paradigms
• Focus on addressing immediate AI-related challenges facing Global Majority communities

Beyond Western paradigms: The success of global AI safety efforts will ultimately depend on incorporating diverse perspectives and addressing the immediate needs of all communities, not just those represented in current Western-centric frameworks.