Responsible AI frameworks are expanding worldwide, but enforcement, transparency and public accountability are failing to keep pace as artificial intelligence reshapes economies and societies
Artificial intelligence is advancing far more rapidly than governments can regulate it, creating widening gaps in public accountability, human rights protection and institutional oversight, according to the second edition of the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) released by the Global Center on AI Governance.
The report, which assessed responsible AI governance across 135 countries, concludes that while governments are increasingly adopting AI strategies and policy frameworks, many remain ill-equipped to ensure that the technology is deployed safely, transparently and in the public interest.
According to the study, responsible AI governance is expanding globally, but implementation remains fragmented, enforcement is weak and institutional capacity continues to lag behind the pace at which artificial intelligence is being integrated into public services, workplaces, healthcare, education, policing and finance.
The report warns that many governments have embraced policy commitments without establishing the oversight institutions, transparency mechanisms and legal safeguards required to protect citizens from the risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems.
Rachel Adams, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Center on AI Governance, said responsible AI cannot depend solely on policy declarations. “Responsible AI cannot be secured through principles alone. The second edition of GIRAI shows a persistent gap between responsible AI as a commitment and responsible AI as a capability.”
Among the report’s major findings is that AI adoption continues to outpace governments’ ability to regulate its use in the public interest. Although more countries are introducing national AI strategies and governance frameworks, implementation is inconsistent, particularly across developing economies.
The study also found that governments are investing heavily in AI skills development while paying comparatively less attention to labour protections for workers whose jobs are being transformed by automation. Similarly, while AI literacy programmes are expanding, regulatory measures protecting children, workers and vulnerable groups remain limited in many jurisdictions.
Another significant concern identified by the report is the lack of transparency surrounding governments’ own use of artificial intelligence. Despite increasing regulation of private-sector AI, relatively few countries require public disclosure of AI systems used in government decision-making or public service delivery.
The report further notes that environmental sustainability remains one of the least developed areas of AI governance, with only a minority of countries adopting frameworks addressing the technology’s energy consumption, water use and broader environmental impact.
For Africa, the Index highlights growing policy momentum but identifies implementation as the continent’s greatest challenge. While several African countries have strengthened their responsible AI policy frameworks, most remain non-binding and lack effective enforcement mechanisms. Among the countries surveyed, Nigeria emerged as Africa’s highest-performing country on the Index, followed by Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, Benin and Morocco.
The Global Index on Responsible AI was developed by the Global Center on AI Governance with contributions from 135 regional experts, generating more than 68,000 data points to assess national AI governance across five broad dimensions, including ethics, inclusion, labour, trust and public service delivery.
BrandiQ Insight
The world’s AI challenge is no longer innovation – it is governance. The findings of the Global Index point to one of the defining policy challenges of the digital age. Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging technology.
It has become critical infrastructure influencing economic productivity, public administration, healthcare, education, financial services and national security. The central question has therefore shifted from whether countries should adopt AI to how they should govern it.
Governance is becoming a competitive advantage. Countries that establish clear, transparent and enforceable AI governance frameworks are likely to become more attractive destinations for investment, innovation and international partnerships.
Conversely, weak governance increases the risks of algorithmic bias, privacy violations, misinformation, workplace disruption and declining public trust. Increasingly, responsible AI governance is becoming as important to economic competitiveness as digital infrastructure itself.
Nigeria Has an Opportunity to Lead Africa
One of the report’s most encouraging findings is Nigeria’s emergence as the highest-ranked African country in the Index. While the report makes clear that significant implementation gaps remain, the ranking suggests that Nigeria has laid important policy foundations for responsible AI.
The challenge now is translating policy ambition into effective institutions, regulatory capacity, transparency mechanisms and practical enforcement. This is particularly significant as Nigeria simultaneously intensifies regulatory scrutiny of major global technology companies operating within its digital economy.
The Future Will Belong to Countries That Build Trust
Artificial intelligence is transforming every sector of society. But long-term public acceptance will depend not simply on technological capability, but on whether citizens trust governments and businesses to deploy AI responsibly.
That requires more than national strategies. It requires enforceable laws, independent oversight, transparent institutions and meaningful accountability.
Ultimately, the Global Index delivers a clear message.
The race to lead the AI economy will not be won solely by the countries developing the most powerful technologies. It will also be won by those capable of building the strongest systems of trust, governance and public accountability around them.
