Europe’s Role in Global AI Governance: Perceptions from the Asia-Pacific

Debates on the EU’s international role remain varied. Authors such as Bradford (2020) view it as a ‘regulatory superpower,’ while others argue it is a divided and declining power with limited influence beyond its borders. A third perspective suggests that the EU’s influence is conditional and that it varies across contexts and policy areas. This paper examines how the AI Act is debated in the Asia-Pacific and offers insights into how the EU’s regulatory power is perceived outside Europe. In this paper, I argue that that the AI Act has had significant implications for the reinforcement of the EU’s ambition to set international standards through regulatory power. Through a claims-making analysis of news coverage from 2023 to 2025 in Australia, Singapore and India, the study explores whether the EU is framed as a regulatory pioneer, a protectionist actor, or an external force shaping domestic policy choices. The findings aim to contribute to broader debates on the EU’s global influence and show how external actors interpret its governance efforts in an era of intensifying AI competition.