The EU's AI Act and the Pivotal Role it Plays in the Global Artificial Intelligence Landscape

Thursday - May 11 2023, 13:37 UTC - 1 year ago

The EU's AI Act, which focuses on reining in risky but narrowly focused applications, could become the de facto global standard for artificial intelligence. Authorities worldwide are scrambling to figure out how to control the rapidly evolving technology to ensure that it improves people's lives without threatening their rights or safety. The AI Act is expected to be approved in a European Parliament committee Thursday 11 May 2023 and move into negotiations between the 27 member countries, Parliament and the EU's executive commission.

The breathtaking development of artificial intelligence has dazzled users by composing music, creating images and writing essays, while also raising fears about its implications. Even European Union officials working on groundbreaking rules to govern the emerging technology were caught off guard by AI's rapid rise.

The 27-nation bloc proposed the Western world's first AI rules two years ago, focusing on reining in risky but narrowly focused applications. General purpose AI systems like chatbots were barely mentioned. Lawmakers working on the AI Act considered whether to include them but weren't sure how, or even if it was necessary.

"Then ChatGPT kind of boom, exploded," said Dragos Tudorache, a Romanian member of the European Parliament co-leading the measure. "If there was still some that doubted as to whether we need something at all, I think the doubt was quickly vanished." .

The release of ChatGPT last year captured the world's attention because of its ability to generate human-like responses based on what it has learned from scanning vast amounts of online materials. With concerns emerging, European lawmakers moved swiftly in recent weeks to add language on general AI systems as they put the finishing touches on the legislation.

The EU's AI Act could become the de facto global standard for artificial intelligence, with companies and organizations potentially deciding that the sheer size of the bloc's single market would make it easier to comply with than develop different products for different regions.

"Europe is the first regional bloc to significantly attempt to regulate AI, which is a huge challenge considering the wide range of systems that the broad term 'AI' can cover," said Sarah Chander, senior policy adviser at digital rights group EDRi.

Authorities worldwide are scrambling to figure out how to control the rapidly evolving technology to ensure that it improves people's lives without threatening their rights or safety. Regulators are concerned about new ethical and societal risks posed by chatbots and other general purpose AI systems, which could transform daily life, from jobs and education to copyright and privacy.

The White House recently brought in the heads of tech companies working on AI including Microsoft, Google and ChatGPT creator OpenAI to discuss the risks, while the Federal Trade Commission has warned that it wouldn't hesitate to crack down.

China has issued draft regulations mandating security assessments for any products using generative AI systems like ChatGPT. Britain's competition watchdog has opened a review of the AI market, while Italy briefly banned ChatGPT over a privacy breach.

The EU's sweeping regulations—covering any provider of AI services or products—are expected to be approved by a European Parliament committee Thursday, then head into negotiations between the 27 member countries, Parliament and the EU's executive Commission.

European rules influencing the rest of the world—the so-called Brussels effect—previously played out after the EU tightened data privacy and mandated common phone-charging cables, though such efforts have been criticized for stifling innovation.

Attitudes could be different this time. Tech leaders including Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak have called for a six-month pause to consider the implications of ChatGPT.