GAIA Report 2025
Beyond Compliance
Global perspectives on the role of the AI Act in enabling a human-centric, sustainable digital future
How do we ensure artificial intelligence serves society — not just markets?
The 2025 edition of the GAIA Report presents a critical analysis of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) and its potential to shape a more ethical, inclusive, and sustainable digital future. Drawing on insights from 25 international experts, this report goes beyond legal compliance to examine the AI Act’s strategic implications for policy, innovation, governance, and global cooperation.
This is not just another regulation. The AI Act is the world’s first horizontal legal framework for artificial intelligence. It classifies AI systems based on risk and sets enforceable requirements for high-risk applications—such as biometric surveillance, critical infrastructure, and algorithmic decision-making in education, healthcare, and law enforcement.
Access the report
The full version of the GAIA Report: Beyond Compliance will be officially launched on May 21, 2025, during the Polish Economic Congress in Warsaw.
The GAIA Report asks the deeper questions
Why this report matters
The digital transition is accelerating—but without ethical direction, it risks amplifying inequality, marginalization, and ecological damage. Sustainable digital transformation is not just about eco-efficiency. It is about aligning technological progress with social cohesion, data justice, and environmental regeneration.
This report presents the AI Act not merely as a legal constraint, but as a strategic enabler of trustworthy innovation.
It highlights how the Act can promote:
What you’ll find inside
Chapter
Introduction to the AI Act and its global legal roots (OECD, UNESCO, GDPR)
Chapter
The EU’s role in shaping global AI governance and digital sovereignty
Chapter
How the AI Act affects innovation ecosystems, including GPAI and sandbox testing
Chapter
Trust, ethics, and responsibility—beyond checklists
Chapter
Data governance, data commons, and ownership asymmetries
Chapter
Sustainability as a structural principle in AI system design
Chapter
Challenges and opportunities for SMEs under the AI Act
Chapter
Future-readiness, societal resilience, and the long-term horizon of AI governance
Chapter
The EU’s role in shaping global AI governance and digital sovereignty
Chapter
Trust, ethics, and responsibility—beyond checklists
Chapter
Sustainability as a structural principle in AI system design
Chapter
Future-readiness, societal resilience, and the long-term horizon of AI governance
Each chapter combines qualitative research, expert interviews, and policy analysis to deliver clear takeaways for regulators, innovators, and institutional leaders.
Access the report
The full version of the GAIA Report: Beyond Compliance will be officially launched on May 21, 2025, during the Polish Economic Congress in Warsaw.
Join the mission
This report was made possible thanks to the generous support of Pracodawcy RP and Answer 42 Sp. z o.o., and the commitment of researchers and contributors who believe in human-centered, responsible AI.
We invite you to support the work of the GAIA Foundation in developing foresight-based research, public education, and ethical AI governance frameworks.
Every contribution helps amplify diverse voices and build the digital future we all deserve.