BRIDGING CONTINENTS: HOW AI REGULATION TRAVELS FROM EUROPE TO LATIN AMERICA

This paper analyzes the influence of European Union regulatory frameworks on the digital policies of South American countries, with a specific focus on Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act). Through a descriptive and comparative lens, the study pursues a twofold objective: to compare EU digital governance with that of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, and to evaluate the validity of theories concerning the transnational diffusion of legal models. The analysis of recent national legislative proposals reveals a clear emulative effect: South American countries are adopting a risk-based approach, introducing AI system classifications, fundamental rights impact assessments, and supervisory authorities that structural ly mirror the EU model. Despite regional This paper analyzes the influence of European Union regulatory frameworks on the digital policies of South American countries, with a specific focus on Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act). Through a descriptive and comparative lens, the study pursues a twofold objective: to compare EU digital governance with that of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, and to evaluate the validity of theories concerning the transnational diffusion of legal models. The analysis of recent national legislative proposals reveals a clear emulative effect: South American countries are adopting a risk-based approach, introducing AI system classifications, fundamental rights impact assessments, and supervisory authorities that structurally mirror the EU model. Despite regional specificities and the presence of broad exceptions that could undermine the effectiveness of these legal transplants, the European model serves as an essential benchmark for artificial intelligence regulation in Latin America. This confirms the European Union’s role as a global normative power within the digital sector.