Who's protecting you? It depends on where you live.
AI regulation varies dramatically across the world. The EU has comprehensive laws with strict enforcement. The US relies on voluntary guidelines. China regulates AI to serve state control. Most countries have no AI laws at all.
Click each region to explore what's protected, what's missing, and how enforcement actually works.
Regulation correlates with power, not population. The EU (450M people) has comprehensive AI laws. India (1.4B people) has draft proposals. Most of Africa, Latin America, and Asia have no AI regulation despite being home to 85% of humanity.
Where you live determines your rights. An EU citizen can demand explanation for AI decisions and has strong privacy protections. A US citizen has minimal federal protections. A Chinese citizen faces AI-enabled state surveillance with no recourse.
Enforcement matters more than laws on paper. Many countries have elegant AI principles and frameworks. Few have agencies, budgets, or political will to enforce them. The EU levied €4.5B in GDPR fines; most jurisdictions levy nothing.
Industry lobbying shapes outcomes. Tech companies invest millions in lobbying. They favor "pro-innovation" (weak) regulation, voluntary frameworks, and self-governance. Stronger regulations often get watered down before passage.
Digital colonialism persists. AI models train on data from the Global South but are built and controlled in the Global North. Profits flow to wealthy nations; risks and harms spread globally. Regulatory capacity mirrors economic power.
Your rights depend on jurisdiction. EU citizens have right to explanation, deletion, and opt-out. US citizens largely don't. This creates regulatory arbitrage—companies route operations to permissive jurisdictions.
Strong laws without enforcement are meaningless. Check whether your jurisdiction has: dedicated regulatory agencies, adequate budgets, actual fines levied, and political independence from industry.
The EU AI Act influences global standards. Companies building for EU market must comply with strict rules, which often raises baselines elsewhere. But this doesn't guarantee protection—enforcement still varies.
Regulations exist because people demanded them. GDPR came after years of privacy advocacy. AI Act followed algorithmic harm documentation. Your voice matters—contact legislators, support digital rights groups.
Global database of AI policies and regulations
Full text and analysis of the EU AI Act
Global organization fighting for AI regulation and digital rights
Questions to Ask
• What AI regulations exist in my jurisdiction?
• Do I have the right to explanation for automated decisions?
• Can I opt out of algorithmic profiling?
• Is there enforcement, or just principles on paper?
• How can I support stronger AI regulation?