Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
UN’s Blueprint for AI Governance and Global Representation?
AI Governance | Sep 30, 2024
Image: Governing AI for Humanity (UN)
AI Governance and the Global South: Bridging the Divide or Charting a New Course?
The UN recently published a report titled "Governing AI for Humanity"(101 page PDF, see release) which highlights the rising challenges of the high number of global AI governance initiatives, lack of interoperable standards, and ability to have equitable participation from all countries. Fragmented norms, competing agendas, and the exclusion of major areas like the Global South, all challenge the potential of unified global governance from existing.
According to the report, of the 193 UN members, only 7 countries including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and United States are actively involved in all major AI governance platforms currently working to shape global standards, policies and regulations by organizations like the OECD, G20, GPAI and the Council of Europe.
Far from a holistic approach where countries are working for the greater good of humanity, many nations with unique needs and interests are being left out or have decided to not participate based on other motivations, notably the Global South. The truth is that markets and jurisdictional boundaries are not barriers to AI's enormous potential. However, there's a real risk that advantages will be concentrated and the gap between those who can use AI successfully and those who can't will widen if everyone isn't at the table to set the games rules.
The Role of the UN in Bridging the Divide
In order to close the gaps in AI governance, the UN report recommends taking a number of strategic actions:
- Create an International Scientific Panel on AI to serve as a global knowledge-sharing organization that provides unbiased and trustworthy information on the potential applications, dangers, and breakthroughs of AI. On one hand, this would provide Canada's fintech companies with standardized data access and a chance to influence the conversation on responsible AI use in finance. Or would this just add another fragmented initiative and lack of global participation?
- Establish regular UN hosted multi-stakeholder gatherings to advance best practices, align international laws, and deal with cross border AI issues.
See: Double-Edge Sword of AI’s Impact on Workforce Experience
- Create of a global fund and network to increase AI capability worldwide, especially in areas without the requisite knowledge or infrastructure.
- Create an AI Standards Exchange to facilitate communication across systems and the formulation of common terms like security, openness, and justice.
- Setup a Global AI Data Framework to address data stewardship and availability, especially in nations with restricted data access. The proposed framework would prioritize uniform and transparent methods for managing AI training data internationally.
The UN's ability to include a range of viewpoints from less wealthy nations will determine if representational gaps can be closed or if different AI regulatory requirements will need to be accommodated globally.
The Global South and Growing Question of Representation
Is the Global South forging its own course, and if so will the world have diverging paths or shared standards? Given how transformative AI technologies will be deeply embedded in any given country, would such an independent strategy result in a more inclusive and balanced outcome (at the risk of fragmented global standards)?
If the Global South decides to create its own AI governance frameworks (like they established the New Development Bank), it may provide emerging countries a chance to design regulations that are more appropriate for their unique social, economic, and cultural environments. It may provide these nations the ability to reduce the digital gap, guarantee that AI is applied for the good of the public, and promote innovation suited to regional requirements.
See: Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence Governance
However, diverging paths of AI governance and fragmentation in AI regulations will most certainly make it harder and more costly for AI to cross borders and any sort of international cooperation, trade, and data exchange.
The UN's report calls for a balanced approach to ensure that governance is not just broad but also representative. The potential effort by the Global South to develop its own AI standards may spark a wider discussion about equality in technology governance and encourage a more inclusive and diversified approach globally. The goal here is not to establish independent governance groups but to identify ways bridge local and global interests.
Closing Thoughts
Finance and technology leaders should keep a close eye on global AI governance initiatives. Not just for compliance but to actively support inclusive standards and become leaders in ethical AI innovation while creating new economic opportunities and contributing to a more harmonious global tech future.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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