Global South AI Policy Frameworks
National AI governance blueprints for emerging and developing economies.
A reference library, not a rulebook
The Global South AI Policy Framework Collection brings together thirty structured, adaptable national AI governance blueprints developed for emerging and developing economies across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Small Island Developing States.
Each framework offers a starting reference point — covering governance structures, ethics and safety provisions, data governance, innovation policy, workforce development, and international cooperation — that governments, regulators, researchers, and development institutions can consult, adapt, and build on for their own national context.
Six domains, one governance architecture
Every framework in the collection is organized around the same six policy pillars, allowing consistent comparison across countries and regions.
Governance
Institutional structures, regulatory authority, and oversight mechanisms for national AI ecosystems.
Ethics & Safety
Risk classification, human rights safeguards, and responsible-use principles for AI deployment.
Data Governance
Data protection, sovereignty, and lifecycle management underpinning trustworthy AI systems.
Innovation
Incentives, sandboxes, and public-sector adoption pathways to grow domestic AI capacity.
Workforce
Skills development, AI literacy, and labour-market transition planning.
International Cooperation
Cross-border alignment, standards interoperability, and multilateral engagement.
Browse all 30 frameworks
Search or filter by region, publication year, or country name. Every framework is available in full through the shared Zenodo repository.
Five regions
Aligned with leading international instruments
Each framework draws on established global AI governance instruments as its reference base, adapted to national context.
EU AI Act
Risk-based regulatory model for AI systems in the European Union.
UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI
Global normative standard on AI ethics adopted by UNESCO member states.
OECD AI Principles
Intergovernmental principles for trustworthy, human-centred AI.
NIST AI Risk Management Framework
US framework for managing risks across the AI system lifecycle.
African Union Continental AI Strategy
Continental strategy guiding AI adoption and governance across Africa.
ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics
Regional guidance for responsible AI governance in Southeast Asia.
Using the frameworks in practice
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Adapt to local context
Each framework is a starting reference — provisions should be reviewed against existing national law, institutional capacity, and regional commitments before adoption.
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Customize by domain
Governments may draw on individual chapters — governance, data protection, workforce — rather than adopting a framework in full.
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Available formats
Frameworks are published as structured policy documents through the shared Zenodo repository, downloadable individually or as the full collection.
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Licensing for reuse
All frameworks are released under CC BY 4.0, permitting reuse, adaptation, and redistribution with attribution to the author and Atlas AI Institute.
Collection Specifications
Built for policy practice
Government
Ministries and regulators drafting or reviewing national AI policy.
Academia
Researchers studying comparative AI governance in developing economies.
Development Organisations
Agencies supporting digital governance capacity-building programmes.
International Institutions
Bodies coordinating cross-border AI governance alignment.
Civil Society
Organisations advocating for rights-respecting, inclusive AI policy.
Cite the collection
Common questions
No. These are independently developed reference frameworks published by Atlas AI Institute. They are intended as adaptable policy blueprints, not enacted national law, unless a specific government has separately confirmed formal adoption.
No. All thirty frameworks are published together as a single collection under one shared DOI (10.5281/zenodo.20855849) on Zenodo, versioned as a set rather than as individually registered records.
Yes. The collection is released under CC BY 4.0, which permits reuse, adaptation, and redistribution provided appropriate credit is given to the author and Atlas AI Institute.
Each framework addresses governance, ethics and safety, data governance, innovation, workforce development, and international cooperation, structured consistently across all 30 countries.
All frameworks are hosted together in the Zenodo repository. Use the "View / Download" link on any country card, or the "Access Full Collection" button, to reach the repository.
Use the citation provided in the Citation & Repository section above, or the "Copy citation" button, which copies a ready-to-use reference including the DOI.