The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to adopt a position on the upcoming AI law, taking an important step towards regulating artificial intelligence.
The law aims to regulate AI based on its potential to cause harm, and follows a risk-based approach, banning applications that pose unacceptable risks, while imposing stricter controls on high-risk use cases. imposes regulations.
The timing of AI regulation has been the subject of debate, but Dragosh Tudlache, one of the European Parliament’s co-rapporteurs on AI law, argued that the impact of AI would be so great that it would be appropriate to regulate it. He stressed that it was time.
Dr Ventislav Ivanov, AI expert and lecturer at Oxford Business College, said: “Artificial intelligence regulation is one of the most important political challenges of our time, and the risks associated with an already revolutionary technology. The EU should be applauded for trying to curb the our daily life.
“As the confusion and controversy surrounding this vote shows, this will not be easy. Fighting global tech companies and other stakeholders is like Hercules fighting the seven hydras. there will be.”
The adoption of the AI law faced uncertainty as the political agreement collapsed and amendments were proposed by various political groups.
One of the main points of contention is the use of remote biometrics, which liberal and progressive lawmakers are trying to ban real-time use except for post-mortem investigations of serious crimes. The centre-right European People’s Party attempted to introduce exceptions for exceptional circumstances such as terrorist attacks and missing persons, but failed.
The law introduces a phased approach to AI models, including stricter regulations on underlying models and generative AI.
The European Parliament will introduce mandatory labeling for AI-generated content and mandate disclosure of copyrighted training data. The move comes at a time when generative AI, represented by ChatGPT, is gaining widespread attention, prompting the European Commission to launch support activities to promote international collaboration on AI rules.
MEPs have expanded the list of prohibited acts to include several important AI laws, including subliminal technology, biometric classification, predictive policing, internet-derived facial recognition databases, and emotion recognition software. Made changes.
An additional layer has been introduced for high-risk AI applications, expanding the list of high-risk areas and use cases in law enforcement, immigration management, and recommendation systems for popular social media platforms.
Apheris CEO Robin Rehm commented: “The plenary passage of the EU AI law marks an important milestone in AI regulation, but it raises more questions than answers. This means that they are less likely to put money into companies operating in the EU.
“Given the costs of building AI technology, it is important to allow capital to flow to businesses, but the EU’s proposed risk-based approach to regulation could impose a significant additional burden on the European ecosystem. It is highly volatile and makes the investment less attractive.”
The adoption of an opinion on AI law by the European Parliament will start interagency negotiations with the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission. Known as the trilogue, the negotiations will address key issues such as high-risk categories, fundamental rights and underlying models.
Spain, which will assume the council’s rotating presidency in July, has made completing an AI law a top digital priority. The goal is to reach agreement by November, with several trilogues planned as a backup.
Negotiations are expected to intensify in the coming months as the EU seeks to establish comprehensive regulations on AI, balancing innovation and governance while ensuring protection of fundamental rights.
“The key to good regulation is to ensure that safety concerns are addressed without stifling innovation. Whether the EU can achieve this remains to be seen,” Röhm concluded.
(Image credit: European Union 2023 / Mathieu Cugnot)
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