Global AI Newsletter·Issue 20
Table of Contents
I. Domestic Governance Developments
(I) Policy and Legislative Updates
1. The State Council issued the Overall Plan for the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone, focusing on green computing power and artificial intelligence
2. The Ministry of Education released the “AI + Education” Action Plan
3. The Cyberspace Administration of China issued the Interim Measures for the Administration of Anthropomorphic AI Interactive Services
4. The Cyberspace Administration of China and two other authorities jointly issued the Measures for the Administration of Cybersecurity Labels
5. Six departments including the Ministry of Commerce jointly issued the Guiding Opinions on Better Serving the Real Economy and Promoting High-Quality Development of E-commerce
6.The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the list of pilot consortiums for building high-quality industry datasets empowered by AI
7. The Cyberspace Administration of China held the National Conference on Cyber Rule of Law
8. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology convened a national conference on the high-quality development of the electronic information manufacturing industry
9. The National Technical Committee for Cybersecurity Standardization released its 2026 Work Priorities
10. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology held a press conference on promoting the high-quality development of national high-tech zones
11.The National Technical Committee for Cybersecurity Standardization solicited public comments on three national standards
12. Beijing Municipality publicly solicited achievements in the construction of high-quality industry datasets
13. Beijing released the platform for the General Artificial Intelligence Industry Innovation Partnership Program
14.Shenzhen published the Selection Plan for Key Industrial Projects of the Advanced AI Substrate and Flexible Circuit Board Intelligent Manufacturing Base
15.The Lin-gang Special Area of Shanghai officially launched its digital culture “going global” strategy
(II) Industry Dynamics
1. The 2026 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Langfang) Computing Capacity and Algorithm Competition Officially Launches
II. International Governance Developments
(I) Policy and Legislative Updates
1. South Africa releases the National Artificial Intelligence Policy (Draft) for public consultation.
2. Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security advances public consultation on the Guidelines for the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence
3. Canada updates the supporting explanatory documents for the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act
4. Brazil launches the Digital Future Seminar and E-Digital update discussions, emphasizing AI and Portuguese-language large models.
5. The President of Brazil signs the Patient Rights Regulation.
6. The European Union AI Office initiates a targeted consultation on measuring AI energy consumption and emissions.
7. The European Union evaluates including ChatGPT under the Digital Services Act signaling a compliance turning point for generative AI.
8. Japan passes amendments to the Act on the Protection of Personal Information, easing data usage restrictions to promote AI development.
9. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency expands its “AI Airlock” regulatory sandbox pilot program.
10. The European Union releases its annual progress report on the Artificial Intelligence Continent Action Plan, advancing the implementation of the AI policy toolbox.
(II) Law Enforcement and Judicial Updates
1.National Data Protection Authority of Brazil completes its institutional restructuring and strengthens its regulatory capacity.
(III) International Cooperation
1. The Joint Research Centre of the European Union releases a report on AI in cardiovascular healthcare, along with policy recommendations.
2. The European Union publishes the report “Advancing the Application of Artificial Intelligence in EU Public Administration: Future Directions and Opportunities under the Applied AI Strategy.”
3. The European Data Protection Board releases its 2025 Annual Report.
4. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation of the United States publishes the report “Five Major Concerns About AI Data Centers and Policy Responses.”
5. The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, in collaboration with the World Bank, hosts an international symposium on artificial intelligence.
6. Kazakhstan and Singapore discuss cooperation in the fields of digitalization and artificial intelligence.
(IV) Industry Dynamics
1. GITEX Africa 2026 opens in Marrakech.
2. Meta releases its first proprietary closed-source AI model, Muse Spark
I. Domestic Governance Developments
(I) Policy and Legislative Updates
1. The State Council Issues the Overall Plan for the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone, with a Focus on Green Computing Capacity and Artificial Intelligence
On April 9, the State Council officially released the Overall Plan for the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone. The Plan expressly proposes building a green computing-capacity support hub, supporting the development of the national integrated computing network Inner Mongolia hub node, and supporting the establishment of edge computing centers in Manzhouli and Erenhot. In addition, the Plan encourages exploration of an interconnection center for computing-network hubs to support the interconnected dispatch of computing resources, and supports the Hohhot area in conducting large-model training and application for artificial intelligence and expanding green computing application scenarios. This provides national-level policy support for building a computing-capacity foundation for the digital economy in northern China.
Link: https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/202604/content_7065009.htm
2. The Ministry of Education Releases the Action Plan for "Artificial Intelligence Plus Education"
On April 10, the Ministry of Education, together with four other departments, jointly issued the Action Plan for "Artificial Intelligence Plus Education" (the "Plan"), aiming to accelerate the deep integration of artificial intelligence and education, build an AI education system covering all educational stages and the entire process, and promote innovative applications and high-quality development of AI in education. The Plan provides for the following. First, general requirements and objectives: by 2030, a basic pattern of deep integration between artificial intelligence and education is to be formed, and an AI education system spanning all educational stages and society as a whole is to be established. Second, key tasks: the Plan sets out four major priorities, including promoting AI talent cultivation and public literacy improvement, facilitating the deep and extensive integration of AI and education, strengthening foundational conditions, and improving the development ecosystem. Third, talent training and curriculum-system development: the Plan emphasizes strengthening AI education at all levels, incorporating AI into teacher qualification examinations and certification, deepening reform in teacher training, and supporting the wider application of AI courses in basic, higher, and vocational education. Fourth, technological application and ecosystem building: the Plan calls for the development of foundational support systems such as the intelligent version of the National Smart Education Platform and an education intelligent computing service platform, and for the systematic deployment of applications such as intelligent teaching systems and intelligent learning companions in teaching, administration, and research, while improving the digital infrastructure for education.
Link:http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A16/s3342/202604/t20260410_1433240.html
3. The Cyberspace Administration of China Releases the Interim Measures for the Administration of Artificial Intelligence Anthropomorphic Interactive Services
On April 10, the Cyberspace Administration of China, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, jointly released the Interim Measures for the Administration of Artificial Intelligence Anthropomorphic Interactive Services, and specified that the Measures will take effect on July 15, 2026.
The Measures focus on "anthropomorphic interactive services" that provide the public with continuous emotional companionship, support, and care through text, images, audio, video, and other forms. They require service providers to establish systems for algorithm review, science-and-technology ethics review, content management, cybersecurity and data security, risk response plans, and emergency handling; strengthen the management of training data and the protection of sensitive personal information and interaction data; and impose special protection obligations for minors, the elderly, and users in extreme emotional states. The Measures also require prominent notice to users that they are interacting with artificial intelligence rather than a natural person, place restrictions on risks such as continuous use, addiction and dependency, virtual intimate relationships, and manipulative emotional inducement, and establish a system covering security assessment, algorithm filing, complaint reporting, exit mechanisms, and legal liability. This indicates that China has moved from general governance of AI anthropomorphic emotional-interaction services toward more refined, scenario-based, and risk-oriented sectoral regulation.
Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/6mBUtSdD6kkNh-T2yDrTNQ
4. The CAC and Two Other Departments Jointly Issue the Measures for the Administration of Cybersecurity Labels
On April 10, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Ministry of Public Security jointly issued the Measures for the Administration of Cybersecurity Labels (the "Measures"). The Measures contain four chapters and twenty-three articles, covering general provisions, label implementation, supervision and administration, and supplementary provisions, and will take effect on July 1, 2026.
The cybersecurity capabilities corresponding to the labels are divided, from low to high, into Basic, Enhanced, and Leading levels, corresponding respectively to one-star, two-star, and three-star labels. The Basic level requires products to meet fundamental security requirements, such as the absence of weak passwords, the establishment of vulnerability-management mechanisms, and the maintenance of software updates; the Enhanced level requires products to reach the advanced level among comparable products; and the Leading level requires products to reach the leading level among comparable products and to demonstrate, through penetration testing, the ability to withstand high-level cyberattacks. Participation by product manufacturers is voluntary. After completing testing in accordance with the implementation rules, manufacturers shall submit filing materials online to the filing body, which will complete the formal review and make an announcement within ten working days of receiving complete materials.
The Measures prohibit the forging or misuse of labels and the use of labels for false publicity. Violators will have their filings revoked and publicly announced, and no product filing applications from them will be accepted for one year from the date of announcement; where testing institutions engage in fraud, their testing results will not be accepted for one year. Violations will be recorded in the credit system and incorporated into the national credit information sharing platform, and serious cases will be punished by the competent authorities under laws and regulations such as the Cybersecurity Law. In addition, critical network equipment and specialized cybersecurity products are excluded from the product catalogue under these Measures and will continue to be governed by the existing announcement regime.
Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ezSqsekgW70t6EgYuJiH7g
5. The Ministry of Commerce and Five Other Departments Jointly Issue the Guiding Opinions on Better Serving the Real Economy and Promoting the High-Quality Development of E-Commerce
On April 6, the Ministry of Commerce, together with the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and four other departments, jointly issued the Guiding Opinions on Better Serving the Real Economy and Promoting the High-Quality Development of E-Commerce, putting forward sixteen measures in five areas. In terms of empowerment and efficiency enhancement, the Opinions propose supporting the transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises, deepening rural e-commerce, and fostering industrial e-commerce, and guiding e-commerce enterprises to open resources such as data, channels, and technologies to SMEs and self-employed businesses. In terms of innovation-driven development, the Opinions call for developing "AI plus e-commerce," strengthening the R&D and application of technologies such as large AI models, improving consumer experience, and reducing operating costs. In terms of high-level opening-up, the Opinions propose advancing cross-border e-commerce, expanding the "Silk Road E-Commerce" initiative, and accelerating institutional opening-up, while encouraging e-commerce enterprises to establish overseas direct sourcing bases and create an e-commerce "fast track" for high-quality global products entering the Chinese market.
Link:https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/zcfb/zhzc/art/2026/art_7e1dc12697b744fd89e6110673ac117c.html
6. MIIT Announces the List of Pioneer Consortiums for Pilot Programs on the Development of High-Quality Industry Datasets Empowered by Artificial Intelligence
On April 9, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the list of pioneer consortiums for pilot programs on the development of high-quality industry datasets empowered by artificial intelligence. Pursuant to the Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Launching the Industrial Data Foundation-Building Action and Carrying Out Pioneer Pilot Programs on the Development of High-Quality Industry Datasets Empowered by Artificial Intelligence (MIIT General Office Informatization Letter [2026] No. 64), the consortiums involve fourteen provinces and municipalities. By the end of 2026, the initiative aims to cultivate a number of industry data cooperation consortiums; build trusted interconnection platforms for data in key industries; aggregate a body of industry data resources; tackle key data technologies; develop a set of industrial data standards; create a batch of high-quality, standardized, and tradable industry datasets; empower the implementation of applications such as industry large models and industrial intelligent agents; summarize effective paths, innovative mechanisms, and practical models for efficient collection and processing, trusted circulation and aggregation, and deep integrated application of industrial data; enable industries to improve quality, reduce costs, and increase efficiency; and explore models for the development and utilization of high-quality datasets in the industrial sector.
Link:https://wap.miit.gov.cn/zwgk/zcwj/wjfb/tz/art/2026/art_74c6e9ddfd654fe19adda32da68fd34f.html
7. The CAC Convenes the National Conference on Cyber Rule of Law
On April 8, the Cyberspace Administration of China convened the National Conference on Cyber Rule of Law in Beijing. The conference noted that, since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the basic framework of China's cyber legislation has been completed, cyber law enforcement, adjudication, and public legal education have advanced on all fronts, foreign-related cyber rule of law has steadily expanded, and China's voice in international rule-making has been effectively enhanced. The conference stressed that cyber rule-of-law tasks will become even heavier during the 15th Five-Year Plan period and must serve the overall national agenda and guard against risks. The priorities for 2026 include strengthening overall coordination and institutional development; advancing key cyber legislation and foreign-related rule of law; enhancing law enforcement in key areas; deepening judicial protection in cyberspace; expanding the landscape of cyber legal education; and accelerating the development of a law-based government in the cyberspace administration field.
Link: https://www.cac.gov.cn/2026-04/08/c_1777384058981550.htm
8. MIIT Convenes the National Conference on the High-Quality Development of the Electronic Information Manufacturing Industry
According to Xinhua News Agency on April 10, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology convened the 2026 National Conference on the High-Quality Development of the Electronic Information Manufacturing Industry in Wuhan. The conference proposed the proper formulation of relevant plans for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, accelerating the development of the RISC-V industry, promoting iterative upgrades of AI terminals, and creating hit products. It also noted that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it will be necessary to cultivate new industries and new drivers of growth, enrich the supply of consumer electronics, provide smart solutions in healthcare, elderly care, education, and other fields, and advance work such as national standards for mobile power supplies, governance of overly complex television operation, and the unification of mobile phone charging interfaces. At the same time, the conference called for promoting the development of the advanced computing industry, curbing excessive involutionary competition in the photovoltaic industry, and accelerating the issuance of policy documents in areas such as spatiotemporal information and satellite internet.
Link:https://www.xinhuanet.com/20260410/0afafbbb6954488d820edcc16a0034fa/c.html
9. The National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee Publishes the 2026 Key Work Priorities
On April 7, the National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee published the 2026 Key Work Priorities, which include establishing a working group on AI security standards and a research group on international cybersecurity standards; accelerating the development and pilot verification of national standards on security classification and grading for AI applications and AI security capability maturity assessment; and launching the development of standards on the security of anthropomorphic interactive AI services, intelligent agent security, AI guardrails, AI data security, and personal information protection.
Link:https://www.tc260.org.cn/portal/article/2/3d841d17f2d1419eba45379231171242
10. MIIT Holds a Press Conference on Promoting the High-Quality Development of National High-Tech Zones
On April 10, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology clarified its next-step priorities at a press conference on promoting the high-quality development of national high-tech zones. Wu Jiaxi, Deputy Director General of the Department of Planning of MIIT, stated that the "AI plus" initiative will be implemented in depth, with a focus on three major improvements. First, enhancing innovation-source capabilities by achieving original results in frontier areas such as foundational algorithms and brain-inspired intelligence. Second, strengthening industrial competitiveness by fostering leading enterprises and building internationally competitive AI industrial clusters. Third, improving the level of empowerment and application, with the core task being to encourage national high-tech zones to accelerate the deployment of intelligent computing infrastructure, build high-quality datasets, and regularly release AI scenario lists in order to facilitate the scaled application of new technologies and products.
Link:https://www.miit.gov.cn/xwfb/xwfbh/bxwfbh/art/2026/art_1645f32c491a452489025bdb9430f490.html
11. The National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee Solicits Comments on Three National Standards
On April 9, the National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee solicited public comments on three draft national standards: Cybersecurity Technology - Implementation Guidelines for Blockchain System Security, Cybersecurity Technology - Evaluation Methods for Cybersecurity Threat Information, and Cybersecurity Technology - Technical Specifications for the Security of Physical Unclonable Functions.
Link: https://www.tc260.org.cn/portal/suggestion
12. Beijing Publicly Solicits Achievements in the Development of High-Quality Industry Datasets
On April 8, the Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data publicly solicited three categories of achievements - high-quality industry dataset resources, typical cases, and practical needs - for key fields such as healthcare, urban governance, industrial manufacturing, transportation, and financial services, as well as innovative fields such as the low-altitude economy, smart driving, embodied intelligence, biomanufacturing, and commercial aerospace.
Applicants must be enterprises or public institutions registered in Beijing with good credit standing, and applications in the resource and typical-case categories must each provide no fewer than 1,000 sample data entries. The solicitation began on the date of notice issuance and closes on April 24, 2026. Selected achievements may receive support such as registration of data property rights, entry into the market circulation and trading of data elements, priority recommendation for national-level typical case selection, and inclusion, on a merit basis, within the scope of special policy support.
Link:https://zwfwj.beijing.gov.cn/zwgk/2024zcwj/202604/t20260408_4576733.html
13. Beijing Launches the Platform for the "General Artificial Intelligence Industry Innovation Partnership Program"
On April 7, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology promoted the launch of the official website platform for the Beijing General Artificial Intelligence Industry Innovation Partnership Program. Its principal contents include: first, integrating partnership resources through the official platform to facilitate connections among enterprises, application scenarios, and products; second, soliciting typical AI cases and scenario needs from society to strengthen application implementation; and third, interpreting policies on computing-voucher subsidies and SME service-voucher subsidies in order to reduce the cost of AI adoption, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. This policy move has attracted attention because Beijing is further advancing support for general artificial intelligence from principled advocacy to regularized and institutionalized ecosystem building through a combination of "platform + solicitation + subsidies."
Link: https://www.beijing.gov.cn/fuwu/lqfw/gggs/202604/t20260407_4575697.html
14. Shenzhen Publishes for Comment the Selection Plan for Key Industrial Projects for an Intelligent Manufacturing Base for Advanced AI Carrier Substrates and Flexible Circuit Boards
On April 7, the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology publicly solicited comments on the Selection Plan for Key Industrial Projects for an Intelligent Manufacturing Base for Advanced AI Carrier Substrates and Flexible Circuit Boards. The consultation period ran from April 7, 2026 to 18:00 on April 13. Issued within the framework of Shenzhen's rules on the supply and management of land for industrial and other industries, the document is a local industrial project-selection and resource-allocation policy. Its main content is to establish a selection mechanism for key industrial projects related to advanced AI carrier substrates and flexible circuit board intelligent-manufacturing bases, and to publish the specific plan in annex form as the basis for subsequent project screening, implementation, and resource allocation. It indicates that, in advancing AI development, Shenzhen is focusing not only on large models and software applications, but also on strengthening policy support for AI hardware foundations, electronic materials, and intelligent-manufacturing carriers, reflecting local government efforts to drive the AI industrial chain further upstream and toward the manufacturing end through project selection and industrial-base construction.
Link: https://gxj.sz.gov.cn/gkmlpt/content/12/12725/post_12725194.html
15. Shanghai Lingang New Area Officially Launches Its Strategy for Taking Digital Culture Global
On April 8, Shanghai Lingang New Area officially launched its strategy for taking digital culture global, advancing coordinated efforts in policy, technology, talent, and ecosystem development to accelerate the expansion of Chinese digital culture into global markets. The Administrative Committee of the Lingang New Area released a policy service package for digital culture going global, including: deepening the cross-border data management regime through a "negative list + operational guidelines" model; introducing financial support of up to RMB 10 million for stages such as project landing, technology R&D, product production, and publication; coordinating and dispatching more than 40 Eflops of computing resources within the area and offering computing subsidies of up to RMB 10 million; and providing 200,000 square meters of high-quality, low-cost office space. In addition, an AI tools platform to be launched shortly will provide enterprises in Lingang with cutting-edge and diverse supplies of AI tools, computing resources, intelligent agents, and cross-border dedicated lines.
Link: https://www.pudong.gov.cn/rmt_pdxw/20260409/824703.html
1. The 2026 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Langfang) Computing Capacity and Algorithm Competition Officially Launches
On April 8, the launch ceremony for the 2026 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Langfang) Computing Capacity and Algorithm Competition was held at the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Big Data Perception Experience Center. More than one hundred representatives from leading enterprises, universities, and financial institutions attended, including China Telecom Research Institute, Runze Intelligent Computing, Alibaba Cloud, Huawei, and Baidu. Hosted by the Langfang Municipal People's Government and organized by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, the competition is themed "Smart Convergence in Langfang: Winning the Future with Computing - Empowering Regional Artificial Intelligence Industrial Innovation and Development." It focuses on core areas of computing capacity and algorithms, implements the deployment of the national 15th Five-Year Plan to consolidate the foundation of digital and intelligent development, and promotes the empowerment of the real economy through "AI plus." Located in the core hinterland of the Beijing-Tianjin-Xiong'an "Golden Triangle," Langfang has already attracted leading enterprises such as Huawei, Runze, and GDS, and its city computing-capacity sub-index has ranked first nationwide for two consecutive years. At the launch ceremony, the competition's expert committee was formally established, and participating enterprises shared their latest achievements in areas such as computing infrastructure, computing networks, cloud computing and AI implementation, computing hardware, and algorithm R&D.
Link: https://www.lf.gov.cn/Item/154874.aspx
II. International Governance Developments
(I) Policy and Legislative Updates
1. South Africa Publishes the National Artificial Intelligence Policy Framework (Draft) for Public Comment
On April 10, the South African Government Gazette and Cabinet published the South African National Artificial Intelligence Policy Framework (Draft) and opened it for public comment. The Cabinet had previously approved the draft for public release, and publication in the Gazette means that the policy has formally entered the public consultation stage. Its main contents include six core pillars: capacity and talent development, inclusive growth and employment, responsible governance, ethical and inclusive AI, cultural protection and international integration, and human-centered deployment. The draft also emphasizes a phased and risk-based advancement path, under which regulatory requirements for high-risk use cases, national AI policy guidance, and sector-level AI strategies will gradually be developed. By clearly incorporating governmental regulatory capacity, ethical governance, and oversight of high-risk scenarios into national AI policy design, the draft represents a further institutionalized advance in AI governance frameworks among African countries.
Link:https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202604/54477gen3880.pdf
On April 10, the Secretariat for Digital Rights (Sedigi) under Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security held a roundtable at the Ministry's headquarters in Brasilia, inviting representatives from ministries, regulatory bodies, universities, civil society organizations, and research institutions to conduct cross-sector discussions on the Guide to the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence and to expand the collection of views in the public consultation on the document. The Guide was jointly prepared by Sedigi and the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at the University of Sao Paulo (CIAAM) under a technical cooperation agreement, with support from UNESCO, and has been incorporated into Brazil's Artificial Intelligence Plan (PBIA). At about 75 pages, the Guide explains to the public in accessible language how AI works, its uses, limitations, and risks, as well as the rights and obligations of individuals when interacting with AI, without using technical jargon or legalese. The roundtable featured two thematic sessions: the first focused on the principles, shortcomings, and recommendations relating to AI ethical dilemmas and responsible use; the second focused on AI and gender issues, discussing algorithmic bias, the risk of gender discrimination, the Grok case, and challenges faced by Brazil's regulatory framework. The public consultation is being conducted through the Brasil Participativo platform and will close on April 19.
3. Canada Updates the Companion Document to the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act
On April 7, the Canadian government updated the companion document to the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA). The document further explains AIDA's risk-based regulatory framework, key definitions, compliance approach, and the logic of its alignment with international rules. It expressly states that the Canadian government plans to advance AI regulation in a more flexible manner, and to gradually refine the enforcement framework through subsequent regulations, guidance, and continued consultation.
On April 9, the Civil House of the Presidency of Brazil announced that the Brazilian government had launched the "Digital Future - Building a Strategy for Brazil" seminar to discuss updates to Brazil's digital transformation strategy (E-Digital). The event was promoted by the interministerial committee on digital transformation and follows earlier public consultation activities. Its core purpose is to redefine the direction of Brazil's future digital strategy. Official remarks specifically indicated that the government will focus on the tangible benefits that artificial intelligence can bring to the public, while also proposing the development of Portuguese-language large language models and the export of solutions to Latin America and Portuguese-speaking countries. This reflects Brazil's efforts to incorporate AI capacity-building, language sovereignty, and regional outward-facing strategy into the process of updating its digital strategy.
5. The President of Brazil Signs the Patient Rights Statute
On April 7, the Brazilian government announced that the President had signed Law No. 15,378, the Patient Rights Statute (Lei no. 15.378, de 6 de abril de 2026 / Estatuto dos Direitos do Paciente). The Statute applies to healthcare professionals, persons responsible for public or private health services, and private legal entities operating health insurance plans, and establishes unified rules for safeguarding patients' rights to information, autonomy, privacy, safety, and dignity in healthcare services.
The Statute expressly provides that patients have the right to require the confidentiality of information concerning their health status, treatment, and other personal matters, and that this confidentiality obligation remains effective after the patient's death unless otherwise provided by law. Data and records relating to patients must be processed, stored, and archived in a manner that preserves confidentiality. Patients also have the right to consent to or refuse the disclosure of their personal information to third parties not previously authorized, including, as a rule, family members, unless disclosure is otherwise required by law. Patients further have the right to access their medical records, obtain copies free of charge, and request correction of relevant information. In addition to data and privacy protection, the Statute also uniformly provides for rights such as informed consent, refusal of treatment, seeking a second opinion, and advance medical directives.
Link:https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2023-2026/2026/lei/L15378.htm
On April 7, the EU AI Office launched a targeted consultation on how to measure the energy consumption, emissions, and efficiency of AI models and systems. The consultation is directly related to the obligations on technical documentation and transparency for general-purpose AI models under the AI Act, and focuses on collecting views on the availability of data in the training and inference phases, indicators of energy consumption, and the feasibility of different efficiency-evaluation methods. The core of this policy initiative is not the immediate introduction of penalty rules, but rather laying the groundwork for a more robust, workable, and industry-executable framework for measuring AI energy consumption. Its significance lies in the fact that the EU is extending AI governance beyond issues of safety, transparency, and fundamental rights to environmental impact and energy responsibility.
On April 10, according to sources cited in media reports, the European Union is planning to bring OpenAI's ChatGPT within the scope of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and classify it as a "very large online search engine." Because ChatGPT has approximately 120 million monthly active users in the European Union - far exceeding the regulatory threshold of 45 million - it would, if formally designated, face more stringent compliance obligations. This marks a substantive extension of the EU's regulatory approach from traditional social media and search engines into the field of generative AI.
On April 7, the Japanese Cabinet approved the bill to amend the Act on the Protection of Personal Information and submitted it to the 221st Extraordinary Diet. In relation to artificial intelligence, the amendment is notable in two respects. First, it strengthens the protection of personal information containing bodily characteristic information, which is highly relevant to AI applications such as facial recognition, identity verification, and profiling; even if no clear unlawful processing has yet occurred, the data subject may request that use be stopped. Second, the bill relaxes consent requirements in certain scenarios for the provision of data used for statistical and similar purposes, which is closely connected to the rules governing data use in AI development, model training, and data analytics.
Link: https://www.ppc.go.jp/news/press/2026/260407/
On April 8, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced that it had secured GBP 3.6 million in funding over the next three years to expand its AI Airlock program. AI Airlock is, in essence, an innovation pilot and regulatory sandbox mechanism within the UK's regulation of medical devices and medical AI. It is designed to help developers test AI medical products in real regulatory scenarios and identify compliance and safety issues together with the regulator. The main significance of the announcement lies in the expansion of the mechanism's coverage capacity so as to support more AI medical products in conducting compliance validation and risk identification before entering the market.
Link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-expands-ai-airlock-programme-with-a-36-million-funding-boost-over-three-years
On April 9, the European Commission stated that the AI Continent Action Plan had achieved "major milestones" one year after its launch. In terms of substance, the EU emphasized that its AI policy推进 covers five pillars: infrastructure, data, talent, application promotion, and trustworthy AI. It also noted that the EU has currently deployed 19 AI factories, is advancing the Data Union Strategy, is providing enterprises with clearer legal expectations through an AI package, and is using the Apply AI Strategy together with funding support to promote the implementation of AI in industry and the public sector.
Link:https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/ai-continent-action-plan-delivers-major-milestones
(II) Law Enforcement and Judicial Updates
On April 8, Brazil's National Data Protection Authority (Autoridade Nacional de Protecao de Dados, ANPD) announced that, with the implementation of Decree No. 12.881/2026 and Resolution No. 33 of the ANPD Board, ANPD's institutional restructuring had been formally completed, further consolidating its position as a regulatory authority.
The restructuring introduces more explicit institutional arrangements for data protection regulatory capacity. First, the internal structure has become more specialized: ANPD has established general offices for execution, technological innovation, regulation, enforcement, institutional and international relations, and internal management, and has also added an audit unit to strengthen rulemaking, technical assessment, and enforcement coordination. Second, institutional safeguards have been further improved: the authority has made clear that it will advance the development of budget, staffing, and career structures to enhance the regulator's capacity for sustained operation. Third, subsequent regulatory priorities have become clearer: in addition to its existing personal data protection functions, ANPD will continue to advance special topics such as the protection of minors in digital environments.
(III) International Cooperation
1. The U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership Working Group Holds Its First Interagency Meeting
On April 6, Jacob Helberg, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, and Mohamed Alsuwaidi, UAE Minister of Investment, co-chaired the first interagency meeting of the U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership Working Group. During the meeting, UAE officials emphasized their desire to maintain the partnership while deepening alignment with U.S. technology and standards and preserving the UAE's sovereign decision-making authority. The United States stressed that it would continue to honor these commitments, including by continuing to allow the UAE to use U.S.-produced AI chips subject to demonstrable security compliance. As a next step, the two sides will deepen technical exchanges on the implementation of export control and investment screening regulations, including further details regarding G42 and related initiatives in regulated technology environments.
2. The EU and Morocco Launch a Digital Dialogue to Strengthen Strategic Cooperation
On April 8, the European Union and Morocco launched the EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue, strengthening their strategic partnership in the digital field. The dialogue focuses on five areas of cooperation. First, promoting the deployment of secure and trustworthy digital networks and infrastructure to support cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital public infrastructure. Second, exchanging best practices to support the deployment of AI computing infrastructure and its surrounding ecosystem. Third, establishing advanced cooperation between Moroccan AI research institutions and EU AI factories, including promoting cooperation in research and innovation projects and the sharing of resources and knowledge. Fourth, exchanging and strengthening cooperation on e-government and digital public infrastructure, including promoting interoperability between EU and Moroccan solutions and frameworks. Fifth, supporting startups in launching solutions that respond to business and social needs.
Link: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_781
3. UNESCO and Uzbekistan Sign a Cooperation Agreement
On April 8, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany and Gayane Umerova, Chair of the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO, signed a cooperation agreement in Paris, France. In line with UNESCO's Medium-Term Strategy and Programme and Budget, the agreement focuses on developing key areas including artificial intelligence and media and information literacy. It will follow a comprehensive roadmap for 2026-2027 covering sixteen priority initiatives, thereby further strengthening the partnership between the two sides.
On April 7, Brazil's National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a special consultancy selection process to support the mapping and analysis of security incident regulation. According to ANPD's official website, this selection forms part of the cooperation project BRA/21/004, entitled "Expanded Effectiveness of the National Personal Data Protection Policy".
The project requires the systematic mapping of the national economic activity classification codes of various organizations and the applicable normative requirements at the federal, state, municipal, and international levels; the integration of industry legislation, sectoral regulation, certification standards, and best practices into a structured database to provide technical support for ANPD in handling security-incident notifications, identifying responsible entities, and assessing impacts on data subjects; and the introduction of technical and data-intelligence methods to improve the precision and consistency of security-incident assessment. The focus of this cooperation is not a general consultancy recruitment exercise, but rather the use of international cooperation to support the construction of a regulatory knowledge base and analytical capability for security incidents by the national data protection authority.
Link:https://www.gov.br/anpd/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/anpd-e-pnud-abrem-selecao-para-consultoria-especializada-em-mapeamento-regulatorio-e-incidentes-de-seguranca
On April 7, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission released a research paper entitled Artificial Intelligence in Cardiovascular Care: From Promise to Practice, which systematically assesses the application prospects of AI in the prevention, early screening, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The paper notes that AI has the potential to help reduce preventable cardiovascular deaths and improve early detection and treatment outcomes. At the same time, it reviews the insufficient evidence, implementation barriers, and institutional challenges facing wider deployment of AI in healthcare settings, and proposes how policy can support AI in genuinely delivering benefits to patients, healthcare professionals, and health systems.
On April 9, the European Union released the report Advancing AI Adoption in EU Public Administrations: Future Directions and Opportunities under the Apply AI Strategy. The report sets out five principal conclusions. First, the public sector is both a strategic field for AI adoption and a market shaper capable of influencing the broader European AI ecosystem. Second, by constructing an adoption framework around anchoring, adaptation, and application, the proposed framework offers a coherent approach to embedding AI into institutional requirements, strengthening organizational readiness, and prioritizing high-impact use cases driven by public value. Third, AI adoption in the public sector requires governance clarity, workforce readiness, responsible procurement practices, and sustained attention to transparency and public trust; structured pathways, proportionate monitoring mechanisms, and cross-administrative learning are key to ensuring that AI solutions evolve from isolated pilots into scalable and interoperable systems. Fourth, by virtue of strategic demand, responsible innovation, and commitment to EU values and standards, public administrations possess unique advantages in strengthening the European AI ecosystem. Fifth, effective and responsible AI adoption in the public sector requires coordinated efforts at both the EU and national levels, combining strategic objectives with coherent and sustained implementation in public administration.
Link: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC143539
3. The European Data Protection Board Releases Its 2025 Annual Report
On April 9, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) released its 2025 Annual Report, summarizing the EDPB's main work during the year and reviewing several important milestones.
The Annual Report has seven principal components. First, it refers to the adoption of the Helsinki Statement on Enhanced Clarity, Support, and Engagement, which outlines the EDPB's new initiatives to simplify compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), strengthen consistency, deepen dialogue, enhance transparency, and promote cross-sector regulatory cooperation. Second, it addresses the simplification of compliance processes and the provision of legal opinions for institutions. The EDPB actively participated in relevant legislative work and, together with the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), issued opinions responding to several legislative proposals submitted by the European Commission, including proposals to amend the GDPR. In addition, discussions held at plenary meetings provided a basis for the European Commission's Digital Omnibus and Digital Omnibus on AI proposals. Third, it highlights strengthened cooperation among regulatory authorities. In 2025, the EDPB and the European Commission released the first guidance on the interaction between the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the GDPR, and jointly prepared guidance on the interplay between the AI Act and EU data protection rules, which is planned for release in 2026. Fourth, it places stakeholders at the center of its work. In 2025, the EDPB launched public consultations on guidance concerning the interaction between the DMA and the GDPR, and also sought public comments on guidance and recommendations relating to other relevant regulations. Fifth, it emphasizes the promotion of high-standard data protection globally. Pursuant to the 2024-2027 strategic plan, the EDPB continued international cooperation to promote high-standard data protection rules worldwide and to ensure effective protection of personal data outside the EU. Sixth, it covers the issuance of guidance and the safeguarding of regulatory consistency. In 2025, the EDPB adopted three new sets of guidelines focusing respectively on pseudonymization, blockchain technology, and the interaction between the DSA and the GDPR, and also released, after public consultation, guidelines on data transfers to authorities in third countries. Seventh, it addresses support for consistent and effective enforcement. In 2025, the EDPB's case register added 414 cross-border cases and triggered 1,299 procedures under the GDPR's Article 60 one-stop-shop mechanism, of which 572 resulted in final decisions. By year-end, the cumulative amount of fines imposed by data protection authorities across the EU had reached EUR 1.15 billion.
On April 6, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) released the report Five Concerns About AI Data Centers, and What to Do About Them, which systematically responds to public concerns about AI infrastructure. The report argues that the tensions surrounding AI data centers do not stem from the technology itself, but from the continued use of industrial-era rules governing the measurement and market management of energy and water resources. With an appropriate policy framework, AI infrastructure can instead strengthen the power grid, stabilize electricity prices, and convert waste heat and flexible loads into system assets. The report analyzes in turn five major controversies - excessive electricity use, crowding out grid capacity, pushing up residential electricity prices, threatening grid reliability, and consuming water resources - and puts forward targeted responses.
From April 6 to April 10, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the World Bank jointly held a five-day international seminar in Washington, D.C., under the theme "Toward the Future: AI Governance and International Cooperation." Experts and representatives from governments and international organizations across multiple countries attended. The seminar was intended to advance AI governance concepts, review global best practices, and explore mechanisms for establishing an international cooperation framework, while also discussing multilateral cooperation, the alignment of global frameworks with national policies, and responses to challenges arising from the rapid development of AI technologies. During the seminar, SDAIA also co-hosted a "Saudi Day" event with the Saudi Digital Government Authority and the World Bank to showcase Saudi Arabia's national model for adopting advanced AI technologies and successful cross-sector applications in data and AI. The seminar builds on the strategic partnership between SDAIA and the World Bank and also reflects Saudi Arabia's role in advancing global AI dialogue through knowledge exchange and stronger cooperation.
Link: https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2557263
6. Kazakhstan and Singapore Discuss Cooperation in Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
On April 9, Askar Kuttykadam, Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Singapore, met with Chua Yong Chong, Director of International Affairs at Singapore's Ministry of Digital Development and Information. The two sides discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation in digitalization, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, government technology, and related fields, as well as the possibility of official delegations and enterprises from both countries participating in various professional international forums and exhibitions to be held in Kazakhstan and Singapore in 2026, including the "AI and Digital Bridge" forum to be held in Astana in October 2026 and Asia Tech x Singapore in May 2026. The Kazakh side invited Singaporean partners to participate jointly in shaping the region's new digital ecosystem and emphasized Kazakhstan's willingness to cooperate, propose new ideas, adopt new technologies, and advance long-term projects.
Link:https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/region-news/details/28708?lang=en
1. GITEX Africa 2026 Opens in Marrakech, Morocco
From April 7 to April 9, GITEX Africa 2026, the largest technology and startup exhibition in Africa, was held in Marrakech, Morocco, under the theme "Catalyzing Africa's Digital Economy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." The exhibition brought together more than 55,000 participants and over 1,450 exhibitors and startups from more than 130 countries, focusing on high-growth sectors such as data centers, fintech, artificial intelligence, digital health, and agricultural technology. Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government of Morocco, attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks, while Richard Duke Buchan III, U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, and other officials and guests from various countries also took part. The exhibition provides an important platform for Africa's digital economy and global technology cooperation.
Link: https://gitexafrica.com/
2. Meta Releases Its First Proprietary In-House Closed-Source AI Model, Muse Spark
On April 8, Meta officially launched Muse Spark, the first product-oriented large AI model developed by its superintelligence team. As the inaugural product in the new Muse series, the model adopts a scientifically validated model-scaling methodology and is intended to continuously improve system performance through generation-by-generation validation. Muse Spark is designed specifically for Meta's application ecosystem. According to internal benchmark testing, it has achieved significant improvements in writing and logical reasoning, with some core results already rivaling or even surpassing comparable top-tier models from competitors such as Google and OpenAI. The model has already begun powering related AI assistant functions in Meta's apps and web platforms, and is planned to be progressively integrated over the coming weeks into the full range of social platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram, as well as AI glasses. It will also be made available through APIs to certain selected commercial partners.
Link: https://ai.meta.com/blog/introducing-muse-spark-msl/
