With regulatory pressures, changing expectations from shareholders and customers, and the increasing risk of litigation, it’s clear that addressing AI governance is more important than ever.

In 2025, questions around data transfers and localization requirements will still be front and center for businesses. Regulators across different jurisdictions – each with varying requirements – aren’t holding back either; they’ve shown they’re ready to impose hefty fines for non-compliance.

As global cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, companies are navigating an increasingly complex risk landscape.

Over the past year, a global push to regulate the safety, accountability, and transparency of online services have begun to crystalize. In late 2023, the EU Digital Services Act came into force alongside the passage of the UK Online Safety Act, signaling a significant shift in how digital intermediaries are regulated.

The spotlight on AI risks is intensifying, and with it comes a surge in data-related regulatory enforcement worldwide. Regulators are not only using existing laws but are also advocating for greater powers to oversee AI development and deployment.

Consumer privacy legislation in the US has reached a critical turning point. With no comprehensive nationwide privacy law in place, individual states have begun enacting their own laws to safeguard consumer privacy. Currently, over 40 percent of US states have implemented consumer privacy laws, and momentum continues to grow as additional states propose and consider their own legislation.

In recent years, many countries across Asia have either rolled out new comprehensive privacy laws or made significant amendments to existing regulations. Notable examples include China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Currently, Indonesia, India, and Malaysia are working toward the full implementation of their newly amended laws.

The European Commission’s Data Strategy 2020 has paved the way for new data access regulations that will significantly impact businesses across Europe. In this chapter, we dive into the data access rights established by the EU’s Data Act, along with two pivotal Common European Data Spaces: the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and the Financial Data Access (FIDA) framework.