South Korea, Japan Join Global Moves to Add Guardrails on AI Use

South Korea and Japan are the latest major economies to move forward with AI regulations that could apply to some US companies, even as the Trump administration steps back from domestic rules around the technology.

South Korea’s new AI Basic Act takes effect next year in one of the world’s 15 largest economies. The law is significant, but less comprehensive than the European Union’s AI Act, which focuses on safety and risks, those who follow AI policy said.

South Korea’s law, enacted in January, classifies artificial intelligence into two categories—generative AI such as models that can create text, sound, and ...