The Artificial Intelligence Act was passed in the European Parliament

The EU’s artificial intelligence legislation will be enforced later this year, setting a global standard for other governments grappling with regulating this rapidly evolving technology. This is a milestone, but only the beginning.

– Our ground-breaking AI law will allow us to be world leaders in digital and tech innovation based on EU democratic values, because Europe has the ability to set the tone worldwide and lead responsibly – said after the vote Roberta Metsola European Parliament President.

Legislation was endorsed by a vote of 523 in favor, 46 votes against and 49 abstentions. The EU AI Act must now receive official endorsement from the 27 EU Member States. The legislation will be enacted later this year.

– Europe is now a global standard-setter in trustworthy AI – said EU industry chief Thierry Breton, who is a big supporter of these regulations.

New rules

The new legislation classifies various types of artificial intelligence based on risk levels, imposing strict requirements or complete bans on AI tools deemed to pose significant threats. The majority of artificial intelligence systems are expected to be labelled as low-risk, such as models used for content recommendation or spam filtering. 

However, high-risk AI applications, like those in medicine or critical infrastructure such as energy networks, will face heightened scrutiny. The companies responsible for these models must conduct risk assessments, provide transparent information to users, and ensure their products comply with the law before releasing them to the public. Additionally, the data used to train algorithms must meet specific standards of quality and transparency. 

Regulations pertaining to generative AI models like ChatGPT will take effect 12 months following the law’s official enactment, with most other provisions requiring compliance within two years.

Prohibited AI systems will be banned six months after the law takes effect.

Real-time facial recognition in public spaces will be prohibited, with exceptions made for law enforcement agencies. The legislation also forbids the use of AI in predictive policing activities and in systems using biometric information to determine an individual’s race, religion, or sexual orientation. 

Companies found violating the law could be subject to fines ranging from €7.5 million to €35 million (£6.3 million to £30 million).

Time to change

– At the European Union’s structures, an AI Office will be established to assist businesses in beginning compliance with regulations before they come into effect. “We ensured that people and European values are at the very heart of artificial intelligence development – said MEP Brando Benifei, one of the main architects of the AI regulation, during Tuesday’s debate on the solution.

It’s noteworthy to mention that, based on Eurobarometer data, 87 percent of users advocate for protection from unethical digital technologies, including safeguarding against AI. 

Now is the time to change.

sources:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19015/artificial-intelligence-act-meps-adopt-landmark-law

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/03/13/lawmakers-approve-ai-act-with-overwhelming-majority

https://www.dw.com/en/european-parliament-gives-final-approval-to-landmark-ai-law/a-68511639

https://wyborcza.biz/biznes/7,177150,30793325,ai-act-przyjeta-w-parlamencie-europejskim-co-zmieni-ustawa.html