As AI accelerates, governments are increasingly being left behind

• Governments worldwide struggle to keep up with rapid AI advances, facing challenges in regulation, safety concerns, and geopolitical competition, especially between the US and China.
• Europe's AI Act, the first comprehensive law, faces enforcement delays and needs updates to match fast-evolving AI technologies, risking Europe's competitiveness in AI development.
• US lawmakers show limited urgency on AI regulation despite growing risks and industry calls for oversight; global leaders agree on AI safety but lack unified action or clear protocols.

LONDON – Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, gathered senior officials for an exclusive meeting at a 19th-century palace outside Brussels in September.

The goal was to prepare for a speech outlining the 27-nation bloc’s priorities for 2027, with artificial intelligence dominating the agenda.