Technical standards are gaining prominence in the governance of artificial intelligence and broadening the strategic debate in Brazil.

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A webinar hosted by the MCTI highlighted the importance of technical standards to guide the development and regulation of artificial intelligence.

The way artificial intelligence will be developed, applied, and regulated in the world increasingly depends on an element often invisible to the public: technical standards. It is in this area that criteria for safety, quality, and interoperability are defined, with a direct impact on the economy, innovation, and technological sovereignty of countries. Given this scenario, the debate on standardization is consolidating itself as an essential step to ensure that Brazil actively participates in building the rules that shape the digital future.

With this focus, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) held, this Tuesday (14), the webinar Strategic Role of Normalization and Standardization in the Governance and Geopolitics of AI. The meeting brought together government representatives, experts and strategic institutions to discuss how standardization can strengthen public policies, expand the country's international insertion and contribute to the responsible use of technology.

During the opening, the Secretary of Science and Technology for Digital Transformation of the MCTI (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation), Henrique Miguel, highlighted that the discussion goes beyond regulation and involves the entire operational structure of artificial intelligence. “This role transcends governance. It also encompasses the use, standardization, and operation of artificial intelligence in relationships between companies and between countries,” he stated.

The secretary emphasized that, although issues such as data, infrastructure, and training are central, there is a structural layer that directly influences the development of technology. "These are the technical standards that can define criteria, establish parameters for quality, security, reliability, and interoperability. In practice, they have a great influence on how these technologies are developed, implemented, and used," he explained.

Standardization is also becoming a strategic element in the international arena. More than just technical instruments, standards incorporate values, risk perceptions, and worldviews, becoming concrete mechanisms of influence in global disputes over technology and innovation. In this environment, the rules that guide the development and use of artificial intelligence have a direct impact on how countries position themselves economically and technologically.

Given this context, Brazil's active participation in defining these standards becomes essential. It's not just about following what is established abroad, but about contributing to the construction of these benchmarks, considering national interests and scientific capabilities. The advancement of this agenda depends on coordination between the government, the productive sector, and the scientific community, with coordinated action from institutions operating on different fronts of science, technology, and innovation policy.

Global dispute and the need for rules

Representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), Ambassador Eugênio Vargas Garcia highlighted that the discussion is taking place in an international context marked by technological disputes and geopolitical instability. “We are living through a very complex international situation, with turbulence affecting global governance. There is a dispute for technological supremacy that impacts data, digital infrastructure, and also the governance architecture,” he said.

The definition of norms and standards also appears as a central condition for ensuring trust in the use of artificial intelligence, especially in an international environment marked by technological disputes and instability. Beyond borders, the construction of reliable systems depends on the existence of clear benchmarks, shared guidelines, and interoperable structures that allow integration between different countries and markets.

At the same time, the current geopolitical scenario imposes additional challenges to this process. The complexity of international relations and the competition for technological leadership make building consensus more difficult, reinforcing the need to broaden knowledge on the subject. There is still little understanding of the scope of these discussions and how they occur in practice, which highlights the importance of spaces for dialogue that contribute to improving the quality of the debate and guiding strategic decisions.

From an economic standpoint, the Secretary of Competitiveness and Regulatory Policy of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC), Pedro Ivo Sebba Ramalho, highlighted that standardization is fundamental to facilitating trade, reducing costs, and promoting interoperability between systems. He explained that, unlike mandatory regulation, standardization functions as a voluntary mechanism that encourages good practices and process simplification.

Standardization also contributes to the simplification of processes and increased competitiveness in an increasingly integrated global environment, by establishing common references that facilitate trade, reduce operational costs, and expand interoperability between systems. This theme is directly connected to the National Quality Infrastructure Strategy, which includes a focus on innovation and digital transformation, in which artificial intelligence stands out as a frontier area requiring alignment between public policies and technological development.

The director of strategic projects and international relations at the Center for Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE), Caetano Pena, emphasized that standardization has ceased to be merely a technical issue and has taken on a central role in the formulation of public policies. “Standardization becomes a space where the rules of the game are defined. It can help advance strategic objectives and mitigate the negative impacts of technologies,” he stated.

He highlighted CGEE's role in studies on artificial intelligence and digital technologies, including its support for the implementation of the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan (Pbia).

Producing analyses geared towards public policy formulation has been a consolidated area of activity, strengthened by the creation of the Digital Technologies Observatory, which monitors debates on regulation, ethics, and technological sovereignty. In this context, the content discussed in the webinar will be systematized in a technical note, with the aim of gathering contributions and supporting the advancement of this agenda in the country.

Collective construction and national agenda

The webinar featured the participation of institutions such as the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT), the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (Inmetro), and representatives from different areas of government, reinforcing the need for integrated action. The initiative is a partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CGEE, the Observatory of Digital Technologies, and the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards.

Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JOtQMdxz10&t=358s

Source: Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI)