While the world’s superpowers race for dominance in compute power and large-scale models, Brazil is playing a different game. As a key member of the BRICS, Latin America’s largest economy is pioneering a high-stakes national experiment: a “Governance-First” model for artificial intelligence. Instead of building its strategy on a foundation of silicon, Brazil is building it on law, ethics, and social equity. This is a radical bet that seeks to create a new “Southern” template for AI, one that prioritizes human rights over the raw pursuit of innovation. This article analyzes the three core tensions at the heart of Brazil’s gambit: a profound clash between its legal ambitions and its infrastructural reality; a deep gap between its social equity goals and its on-the-ground market failures; and the resulting strategic imperative to find new multilateral alliances to ensure its model survives.

SHENZHEN, November 1, 2025 – The Institute for Digital Economy & Artificial Systems (IDEAS) took part in the 2025 International Conference on Innovation and Knowledge Management (iKM2025), engaging with global thought leaders to contribute to the dialogue on technology and innovation. Central to this engagement was AI & Innovation (AI²), the flagship international journal operated by IDEAS, which was featured as an official supporting academic journal for the conference.

Amid global healthcare challenges like aging populations and resource shortages, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a critical force for change. China is strategically integrating medical AI into its national public health and digital economy frameworks, moving beyond solving isolated hospital inefficiencies. Supported by robust policy, vast data, and a dynamic industrial ecosystem, this approach is creating a new paradigm for digital health. It aims to provide a cooperative model for BRICS nations and the Global South, fostering shared innovation and promoting global health equity.

In the contemporary global economy, semiconductors function as a foundational technology, essential for advancements in nearly every digital domain, from artificial intelligence and cloud computing to advanced telecommunications. For any nation with aspirations of technological leadership, a secure and resilient supply of these critical components is not just an economic advantage—it is a matter of strategic necessity. In this context, China has embarked on a patient, long-term initiative to cultivate a comprehensive and secure domestic semiconductor industry. This is not a strategy of isolation, but a proactive measure to enhance industrial security and ensure the stability of its vast digital economy.

Global food insecurity demands innovative solutions, and artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of transforming agriculture to meet this challenge. Through technologies like computer vision, predictive analytics, and IoT sensors, AgriTech initiatives in nations such as Brazil and Ethiopia are building a more productive, resilient, and sustainable food future.

For years, the world has been caught between two flawed data governance models. Now, a third path is emerging. The BRICS bloc’s new Data Economy Governance Understanding offers a pragmatic framework built on Interoperability, Portability, and Standardization, designed to finally reconcile national data sovereignty with the demands of the global digital economy.

Building a digital community with a shared future. China’s commitment to open source empowers global developers, accelerates innovation, and creates new opportunities for technological progress and mutual prosperity.

On 27th July, the academic journal AI & Innovation (AI2) – launched by Institute for Digital Economy & Artificial Systems (IDEAS) at the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC)’s Win-Win BRICS Forum – officially opened its call for papers. The journal is seeking submissions on global artificial intelligence governance, with a particular focus on schemes from the Global South.

This year, IDEAS played a pivotal role—not only as an active participant but also as co-organizer of the “Win-Win BRICS” Forum, amplifying the voices and influence of the Global South in AI discourse and development. A key milestone was the official launch of the international English academic journal AI & Innovation (AI²). The journal’s call for paper is now open to AI scholars worldwide.

In June 2025, the Quark platform launched its AI-driven college application assistance model, designed to address this long-standing societal pain point. During the 2025 Gaokao season, the model served over 10 million students, with more than 60% of its users hailing from China’s lower-tier cities.

The June 2025 joint statement by the CPC Central Committee and State Council on deepening Shenzhen’s comprehensive reform pilot specifically mandates strengthening digital RMB pilot application scenarios and participating in the Multilateral Central Bank Digital Currency Bridge (mBridge) project research.

The BRICS New Energy Roadmap, signed on May 17, 2025, in Brasília, Brazil, is an innovative model in the digital era for South-South collaboration to transform the global energy landscape. It aims to create a sustainable energy future by leveraging digital tools and fostering cooperation among BRICS nations.