India, Oct. 11 -- In 2017, the UAE startled the world by appointing a minister of state for artificial intelligence. What seemed like a symbolic flourish became a strategic anchor: A full cabinet seat for AI, later expanded to cover the digital economy and remote work. It was a declaration that in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, artificial intelligence was not a laboratory hobby, it's a national priority.

Singapore has followed with precision. Its National AI Strategy 2.0, launched in 2023, is a whole-of-nation plan to harness AI for growth, safety, and social good. China has binding rules for algorithmic recommendation and generative AI, making providers responsible for accuracy, bias, and security. Japan, more softly, has embraced "agile governan...