The EU AI Act in a global perspective

Marco Almada

Chapter 10 in Handbook on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, 2026, pp 155-174 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The European Union's (EU’s) AI Act is one of the first regulatory instruments dedicated to AI regulation. Based on the EU's previous forays into digital regulation, commenters expect it to become a template for global AI governance, influencing laws around the world. This chapter argues, instead, that the AI Act is unlikely to become a “gold standard” for global AI regulation. Based on the analysis of the legal text and a review of the literature on policy diffusion, the chapter makes the case that the AI Act's peculiar regulatory architecture and the geopolitical context of AI regulation both create obstacles to the EU's claims to global leadership. For most countries, replicating the AI Act might be neither necessary nor sufficient for addressing local concerns. Nonetheless, the study of EU regulation and its implementation can still offer valuable lessons for AI governance around the globe.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Brussels Effect; Policy Diffusion; Technical Standards; Digital Regulation; European Union Law (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035338573
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