The Role of International Law in Governing Global Artificial Intelligence and Its Implications for Indonesia

Abstract

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has generated complex legal and ethical challenges at the global level, particularly concerning the protection of human rights. In the absence of a binding international treaty governing AI, international law has increasingly relied on soft law instruments and existing human rights frameworks to establish normative standards for AI governance. This article examines the role of international law in shaping global AI governance and analyzes its implications for Indonesia. Employing a normative juridical research method with statutory and conceptual approaches, this study analyzes the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence, supported by relevant legal scholarship. The findings show that international law functions as a normative foundation that legitimizes ethical principles, human rights safeguards, and state responsibility in AI governance. Furthermore, the study identifies normative and institutional challenges faced by Indonesia in aligning national legal frameworks with international AI governance standards.