Europe’s world-leading artificial intelligence rules are facing a do-or-die moment
LONDON (AP) — Hailed as a global first, the European Union’s artificial intelligence regulations are in a make-or-break situation as negotiators attempt to iron out the last details this week. The discussions are made more difficult by the emergence of generative AI, which generates work that resembles a human’s.
The EU’s AI Act, first proposed in 2019, was anticipated to be the first set of comprehensive AI regulations in history, further solidifying the 27-nation bloc’s standing as a global leader in regulating the tech sector.
However, a last-minute dispute over the governance of the systems supporting general-purpose AI services like Google’s Bard chatbot and OpenAI’s ChatGPT has slowed down the process. Large digital firms are advocating against what they consider to be excessive regulation that hinders innovation. Still, European lawmakers want added safeguards for the cutting-edge AI systems those companies are developing.
As a result of warnings from researchers and human rights organizations about the existential risks that generative AI poses to humanity as well as the risks to daily life, the U.S., U.K., China, and international coalitions like the Group of Seven major democracies have joined the race to create regulations for the rapidly developing technology.
According to Nick Reiners, a tech policy analyst at the political risk advisory firm Eurasia Group, “rather than the AI Act becoming the global gold standard for AI regulation, there’s a small chance but growing chance that it won’t be agreed before the European Parliament elections” in 2019.
According to Altman, the most potent AI systems would be licensed by a U.S. or international agency. This year, he made a suggestion that OpenAI could abandon Europe if it was unable to adhere to EU regulations, but he soon withdrew those remarks.
Aleph Alpha endorsed the EU’s risk-based strategy and stated that a “balanced approach is needed.” However, the German AI company stated that it is “not applicable” to foundation models, which require “more flexible and dynamic” regulations.
Some contentious issues remain unresolved by EU negotiators, such as a plan to outright forbid real-time public facial recognition. Countries want an exemption so that law enforcement can use it to track down terrorists or missing children, but human rights organizations fear that doing so will essentially establish surveillance as lawful.
- Published By Team Nation Press News
