Governance fix? Power and politics in controversies about governing generative AI
https://doi.org/10.38050/2078-3809-2025-17-3-123-148
Abstract
The launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 led to major controversies about the governance of generative artificial intelligence (AI). This article examines the first international governance and policy initiatives dedicated specifically to generative AI: the G7 Hiroshima process, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development reports, and the UK AI Safety Summit. This analysis is informed by policy framing and governance literature, in particular by the work on technology governance and Responsible Innovation. Emerging governance of generative AI exhibits characteristics of polycentric governance, where multiple and overlapping centers of decision-making are in collaborative relationships. However, it is dominated by a limited number of developed countries. The governance of generative AI is mostly framed in terms of the risk management, largely neglecting issues of purpose and direction of innovation, and assigning rather limited roles to the public. We can see a "paradox of generative AI governance” emerging, namely, that while this technology is being widely used by the public, its governance is rather narrow. This article coins the term "governance fix” to capture this rather narrow and technocratic approach to governing generative AI. As an alternative, it suggests embracing the politics of polycentric governance and Responsible Innovation that highlight democratic and participatory coshaping of technology for social benefit. In the context of the highly unequal distribution of power in generative AI characterized by a high concentration of power in a small number of large tech companies, the government has a special role in reshaping the power imbalances by enabling wide-ranging public participation in the governance of generative AI.
About the Authors
I. Ulnicane
University of Birmingham
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Inga Ulnicane
Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT
M. Yu. Beletskaya
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Trans. from Eng. Maria Yu. Beletskaya, Candidate of Economic Science, Senior Researcher, Faculty of Economics
Moscow
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For citations:
Ulnicane I., Beletskaya M.Yu. Governance fix? Power and politics in controversies about governing generative AI. Scientific Research of Faculty of Economics. Electronic Journal. 2025;17(3):123-148. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.38050/2078-3809-2025-17-3-123-148
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