AI policy debates in Brazil: struggles over regulation, governance and labour

Abstract

This article explores Brazil’s artificial intelligence (AI) policy landscape through the lens of regulation, development and governance, focusing on the complex power struggles shaping its direction. As Brazil positions itself as a leader in AI in Latin America, debates over regulation reveal conflicting interests between Big Tech, national industry, unions and civil society. Although government plans like the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan 2024–2028 aim to foster innovation and digital sovereignty, labour issues and workers’ rights remain marginalised. The article argues that AI governance in Brazil is a site of political dispute over who benefits from AI and under what terms. By unpacking these dynamics, the analysis highlights the urgent need for participatory AI governance models that foreground social justice and labour protections, particularly within the broader context of Latin American technological development. This article is part of the ‘Artificial Intelligence Observatory for the World of Work (AIPOWW) Symposium’.