This contribution discusses the potential for international regulatory convergence of AI regulation, against the backdrop of the challenges raised by technological disruption and extraterritoriality.

An informal, international consensus has emerged around a few principles of AI regulation, like explainability. Building on such principles, the Draft EU Regulation on AI has the potential to set the regulatory standard for the world.

However, such influence will be stronger in some jurisdictions, like the US and UK. Instead, other important jurisdictions, like China and Singapore, while retaining the same overarching principles, will adopt completely different regulatory approaches, rooted in their economic, sociological and philosophical structures.

In the years to come, the international regulatory framework of AI will be patchy. Different AI regulatory “poles” will emerge, and stakeholders will have to be aware of regulatory diversity.