TLDR: The BRICS+ bloc is intensifying its focus on artificial intelligence, establishing a comprehensive cooperation framework to drive economic progress, enhance governance, and bolster global competitiveness. Initiatives include a new AI Research and Innovation Centre, significant funding from the New Development Bank, and a commitment to developing sovereign AI solutions to counter Western digital dominance. The bloc also emphasizes ethical AI governance, promoting inclusive and culturally sensitive development.
The BRICS+ alliance is at the forefront of a transformative movement, strategically positioning artificial intelligence (AI) as a pivotal tool for economic advancement, improved governance, and heightened global competitiveness. This expanded bloc, which officially integrated AI into its core development strategy at the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan, is actively leveraging AI to foster South-South cooperation, reduce reliance on Western technologies, and craft digital solutions tailored to the unique socio-economic needs of developing nations.
Central to this ambitious agenda is the newly ratified BRICS+ AI Cooperation Framework. This framework underscores AI’s dual role as both a powerful growth engine and a critical strategic asset, essential for achieving autonomy across vital sectors such including health, education, agriculture, energy, and security. Its key pillars encompass shared infrastructure development, collaborative research initiatives, robust talent cultivation programs, and the establishment of ethical governance standards.
Further solidifying this commitment, the BRICS+ Centre for AI Research and Innovation has been established. This collaborative network, featuring AI hubs in major cities like São Paulo, Johannesburg, New Delhi, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran, has already launched projects in crucial areas such as language processing, smart agriculture, climate prediction, and digital identity systems. This significant undertaking operates under the broader BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) and benefits from substantial financial backing. The New Development Bank (NDB) has pledged over $2 billion to advance AI infrastructure and foster skills development across all member states, further introducing a $5 billion ‘Digital Sovereignty Fund’ in 2025 to support AI research parks, data centers, and semiconductor fabrication.
Individual BRICS+ nations are also making significant strides. China remains a leading force in AI, accounting for 47.2% of the world’s most cited AI papers and holding the global lead in AI patent applications, backed by over $150 billion in government funding for its ‘New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan.’ India is championing sovereign AI through its ‘IndiaAI’ mission, a $1.2 billion initiative focused on open-source Indian language models and AI tools for agriculture, education, and health. Russia, with its ‘National AI Strategy 2030,’ has allocated over 100 billion rubles (approximately $1.2 billion) to defense technology, speech recognition, and automation, viewing AI as a ‘battlefield of the future.’ Brazil and South Africa are emerging as hubs for ethical AI innovation, particularly in agriculture and public health, while Ethiopia and Egypt are investing in AI research centers and smart government infrastructure.
A core objective of the BRICS+ AI strategy is to counteract the monopolization of digital power by Western corporations and governments. This extends beyond mere technological progress, addressing the challenge of current AI infrastructure predominantly built on Western platforms and foundational models trained on datasets that often neglect the languages, values, and contexts pertinent to the Global South.
AI governance is another critical aspect of the BRICS+ agenda. The 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan saw the adoption of the ‘BRICS Charter on Responsible AI,’ which advocates for inclusive, transparent, and culturally sensitive AI development. This charter offers a distinct alternative to the EU’s AI Act, which many in the Global South criticize for its Eurocentric norms and potential to limit AI experimentation in developing countries.
During the 17th BRICS Summit on July 6, 2025, heads of state signed the Leaders’ Declaration on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence. This document outlines guidelines for the responsible development and deployment of AI, emphasizing fair, equitable, empowering, and inclusive access to AI technologies for all nations. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil notably declared, “Artificial intelligence must not be a privilege for the few, nor a tool of manipulation in the hands of millionaires,” underscoring the bloc’s commitment to ensuring AI serves to reduce inequalities and drive progress globally. The declaration also affirms the right of all nations to digital sovereignty, including establishing regulatory frameworks, building AI research capacity, fostering technological autonomy, protecting data, and stimulating their digital economies.
Also Read:
- Governments Emphasize Urgent Need for Robust AI Governance Frameworks Amidst Rapid Advancements
- Indonesia Forges Ahead with Ethical AI Governance and Innovation
The World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2025) in Shanghai, with its theme ‘Global solidarity in the AI era,’ further highlighted BRICS cooperation, announcing guidelines for AI collaboration among member countries and complementing the Declaration on Global AI Governance.
