International AI Institutions: a literature review of models, examples, and proposals

[MMMaas]

The Legal Priorities Project has published a new report (link, PDF, SSRN) surveying models, different examples, and proposals for international institutions for AI governance.

This literature review examines a range of institutional models that have been proposed over the year for the international governance of AI. The review specifically focuses on proposals that would involve the creation of new international institutions for AI. As such, it focuses on seven models for international AI institutions with distinct functions. These models are:

1. Scientific consensus building

2. Political consensus-building and norm-setting

3. Coordination of policy and regulation

4. Enforcement of standards or restrictions

5. Stabilization and emergency response

6. International joint research

7. Distribution of benefits and access

Part I consists of the literature review. For each model, we provide (i) a description of each model’s functions and types; (ii) the most common examples of each model; (iii) some under-explored examples that are not (often) mentioned in the AI governance literature but that show promise; (iv) a review of proposals for the application of that model to the international regulation of AI; and (v) critiques of the model both generally and in its potential application to AI.

Part II briefly discusses some considerations for further research concerning the design of international institutions for AI, including the effectiveness of each model at accomplishing its aims; treaty-based regulatory frameworks; other institutional models not covered in this review; the compatibility of institutional functions; and institutional options to host a new international AI governance body.

Overall, the review covers seven institutional models, as well as more than thirty-three commonly invoked examples of those models, twenty-two additional examples, and forty-seven proposals of new AI institutions based on those models. Table 1 summarizes these findings.

Table 1: Overview of institutional models, examples, and proposed institutions surveyed

	Model	Common examples	Under- explored examples	Proposed AI institutions
Scientific consensus- building		IPCC IPBES SAP	CEP WMO	IPAI Commission on Frontier AI Intergovernmental Panel on Information Technology
Political consensus- building and norm-setting		COPs (e.g. UNFCCC COP) OECD G20 G7 ISO IEC ITU Various soft law instruments	Lysøen Declaration Codex Alimentarius Commission BRICS	IAIO Emerging Technology Coalition IAAI Data Governance Structure Data Stewardship Organization International Academy for AI Law and Regulation
Coord. of policy and regulation		WTO ICAO IMO IAEA FATF UNEP	ILO UNESCO EMEP World Bank IMF WSIS	Advanced AI Governance Organisation IAIO EU AI Agency GAIA Generative AI global governance body Coordinator and Catalyser of International AI Law
Enforcement of standards or restrictions		IAEA (Department of Safeguards) Nuclear Suppliers Group Wassenaar Arrangement Missile Technology Control Regime Open Skies Consultative Commission Atomic Development Authority	OPCW BWC Implementation Unit IMO CITES Secretariat	UN AI control agency Global watchdog agency International Enforcement Agency Emerging Technologies Treaty IAIA (multiple) UN Framework Convention on AI (UNFCAI) & Protocol on AI, supported by Intergovernmental Panel on AI, AI GLobal Authority, and supervisory body Advanced AI Governance Organization AIEA for Superintelligence NPT+ Multilateral AI governance initiative International AI Safety Agency Advanced AI chips registry Code of conduct for state behavior AI CBMs Open Skies for AI Bilateral US-China regime
Stabilization and emergency response		FSB UNDRR	WHO IAEA	Global Foresight Observatory Geotechnology Stability Board
Intern. joint research		CERN ITER ISS Human Genome Project Atomic Development Authority (proposed)	James Webb Telescope LIGO	AI Safety Project Clearinghouse for research into AI Benevolent AGI Treaty Multilateral Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (MAIRI) Neutral hub for AI research UN AI Research Organization (UNAIRO) CERN for AI International supercomputing research facility Joint international AI project Multilateral AGI Consortium European Artificial Intelligence megaproject
Distribution of benefits and access		Gavi Vaccine Alliance Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria IAEA (nuclear fuel bank)	ABS Clearing- House UN Climate Technology Centre and Network UNIDO	International Digital Democracy Initiative Frontier AI Collaborative Institution analogous to the IAEA Fair and Equitable Benefit Sharing Model