The European Parliament has taken a significant step in developing a regulatory framework to govern the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe. Key committees in the Parliament have voted in favor of the draft AI Act, which outlines curbs on how the technology can be used while still allowing for innovation. This move comes as a response to the rapid development of ChatGPT and similar generative AI systems that have demonstrated the benefits and opportunities provided by advanced technology, while also revealing the potential perils of the fake content they can generate.
The AI Act was first proposed in 2021, and it sets out to regulate any product or service that uses an AI system. Based on four ranks of AI, riskier applications will face tougher rules and require more transparency and accuracy. The goal is to ensure that AI is developed and used in a responsible manner, without creating a controlled society based on AI.
One of the key aspects of the AI Act is that it seeks to balance the protection of fundamental rights with the need to provide legal certainty to businesses and stimulate innovation in Europe. Policymakers believe that AI technology can be used for both good and bad purposes, and they consider the risks associated with AI to be too high. Thus, the AI Act is intended to avoid a scenario where AI is used to create a surveillance society or to discriminate against certain groups of people.
The AI Act will ban the use of remote facial recognition technology, except in cases where it is used to counter and prevent specific terrorist threats. This is a significant development, given the potential misuse of facial recognition technology in creating a surveillance state. The AI Act will also ban policing tools that aim to predetermine where crimes will happen and by whom. Lawmakers believe that such tools are inherently discriminatory and will result in the violation of human rights.
Another significant aspect of the AI Act is the inclusion of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, in the list of high-risk systems. This means that such systems will face the same level of scrutiny and regulation as other high-risk systems, such as self-driving cars and medical devices. The inclusion of generative AI in the AI Act reflects policymakers’ concerns about the potential misuse of this technology in creating fake content that could harm individuals or society as a whole.
The AI Act represents a significant step forward in the regulation of AI in Europe. However, it is important to note that the agreement between the two parliamentary committees on Thursday is only the first step in a long and bureaucratic process that could take years before it becomes law across the EU’s 27-member bloc. Moreover, the AI Act will face significant challenges in implementation, particularly in relation to the enforcement of regulations and the oversight of AI systems.
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In conclusion, the development of the AI Act in Europe represents an important milestone in the regulation of AI technology. The Act seeks to balance the benefits and opportunities of AI with the need to ensure that it is developed and used in a responsible manner. While the AI Act is a significant step forward, it is only the first step in a long and challenging process of regulation and oversight.
