Europe took a significant stride towards implementing regulations governing the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI), including models like Microsoft-supported ChatGPT, as EU member countries endorsed a political agreement established in December. The rules, proposed by the European Commission three years ago, seek to establish a global standard for a technology omnipresent in diverse industries such as banking, retail, automotive, and aviation. Additionally, the regulations set boundaries for the use of AI in military, crime, and security contexts.
Thierry Breton, the EU industry chief, hailed the moment as historic, asserting that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act is a world-first, striking a balance between innovation and safety. The agreement in Brussels last week, followed France, the final holdout, withdrawing its opposition after securing stringent conditions addressing transparency, business secrets, and reducing administrative burdens on high-risk AI systems.
The impetus behind these regulations is multifaceted, including concerns about generative AI contributing to the proliferation of deepfakes, which blur the lines between reality and fabrication on social media. Margrethe Vestager, the EU digital chief, pointed to recent incidents involving fake explicit images of Taylor Swift, emphasizing the urgency of implementing the new rules.
The rules aim to foster competitive AI models within the EU, with support from German and French AI startups, Mistral and Aleph Alpha, respectively. However, the tech lobbying group CCIA, representing major companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, and Meta Platforms, cautioned that ambiguities in the rules could impede the development of innovative AI applications in Europe.
The next procedural steps involve a vote by a key EU lawmakers’ committee on February 13 and a subsequent European Parliament vote in March or April, with expectations that the AI Act will come into force before summer, being fully applicable in 2026, though some provisions will take effect earlier.
