Navigating the AI regulatory landscape: Balancing innovation, ethics, and global governance

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has generated transformative opportunities alongside significant ethical, societal, and regulatory challenges. In this paper, we analyse this issue by considering the different approaches and regulatory frameworks of three main actors: the European Union (EU), the United States (US), and China. The analysis shows how they are adopting different strategies: the EU proposes a stringent, risk-based framework to ensure accountability and transparency; the US, traditionally favouring minimal intervention, is moving towards more structured regulation out of ethical and security concerns; and China has integrated AI as a core component of its national strategy, aligning AI development with state objectives and social stability. These varied regulatory approaches shape global policies, influence international relations, and underscore the need for a new international pact that protects fundamental rights, mitigates the digital divide, and embeds sustainability at the core of AI-driven industrial development.