European lawmakers on Wednesday took a significant stride toward enacting an all-encompassing regulation governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by adopting a negotiating position on the AI Act — with 499 votes in favor, 28 against, and 93 abstentions.
The proposed AI Act aims to safeguard EU citizens from the potential harms and risks of AI technologies while stimulating innovation and competitiveness in the European Union.
“The talks will now begin with EU countries in the Council on the final form of the law. The aim is to reach an agreement by the end of this year,” the European Parliament said.
“Negotiations with the Council on the final form of the law will begin later today,” the Parliament said in another press release.
Since the AI Act was put forth in April 2021, some European countries have already taken steps to regulate AI systems in their territories. In May, France’s CNIL outlined an AI action plan to protect its citizen’s privacy, and in March, Italy banned OpenAI’s ChatGPT temporarily over privacy concerns.
Understanding the AI Act
The AI Act is a proposed regulation that sets out guidelines for the development, marketing, and use of AI products and services across the EU. It covers all sectors, emphasizing that unregulated AI systems could threaten privacy, security, and democracy. For instance, AI can be used to create malware or alter content in ways that could harm or deceive individuals.
The law adopts a risk-based approach, imposing obligations based on the risk level an AI system poses. Practices considered unacceptable, such as social scoring and real-time biometric identification in public spaces, will be prohibited.
The Act will establish a European Artificial Intelligence Board responsible for implementing and enforcing the rules. A public database of high-risk AI systems is also to be set up.
Why Does the AI Act Matter?
The AI Act is part of the EU’s wider digital strategy. It aims to make AI systems human-centric, ethical, safe, transparent, and non-discriminatory. It also seeks to promote trust and legal certainty among consumers, businesses, and public authorities.
The AI Act would set a global standard for AI regulation, as it is one of the first initiatives of its kind in the world. It could have implications for other countries and regions developing or using AI systems, such as China, the U.S., and India.
The AI Act is still a draft regulation — it needs the approval of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU before it can become law. The Parliament’s committees recently voted for tougher amendments to the Commission’s proposal, which could set up a clash with some EU countries that oppose a total ban on biometric surveillance. This is also not the first time the EU has clashed with its member states over privacy issues.
It could take several months or even years before the AI Act is adopted, depending on the negotiations and compromises among the EU institutions and member states.
Concerned about how AI systems could affect your privacy and security? Our article on facial recognition and privacy provides some key insights.
Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Twitter to receive updates about the latest news and developments on AI and other topics related to online privacy and security.
