EU lawmakers recently passed a draft of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, the first set of comprehensive regulations related to AI. This comes two years after a draft was first proposed and after months of negotiations. This draft includes authorization regarding generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, in which companies must disclose if copyrighted material is used in the system. Moreover, generative AI models must be designed, developed and utilized in accordance with EU law and fundamental rights, including freedom of expression.
According to Mher Hakobyan, advocacy advisor on artificial intelligence (AI) regulation at Amnesty International, this bill offers EU lawmakers an opportunity to put an end to discriminatory and rights-violating AI systems. In the US, the various state-based AI-related bills have been passed. However, large-scale regulation, such as the EU AI Act, has been awaited by many in the AI and legal community.
In December, Avi Gesser, partner at Debevoise & Plimpton and co-chair of the firm’s Cybersecurity, Privacy and Artificial Intelligence Practice Group, stated that the AI Act has acted to set a risk-based regime to address the highest-risk outcomes of AI while also attempting to create balance so as to not clamp down on innovation. This Act will supposedly apply to organizations both in the EU and any third countries, such as UK and US, if the output produced by those AI systems is used in the EU.
The AI Act has attracted the attention of top executives looking to integrate Artificial Intelligence in their operations. To learn more, these professionals can join a summit in San Francisco on July 11-12, to hear how leaders across industries are managing to optimize AI investments efficiently.
Overall, the passage of the EU AI Act marks a significant milestone in the regulation of AI technology, underlining the trend of governments domestically and internationally becoming more involved in its regulation. With various industries beginning to integrate AI, it is important for companies to keep up with this development and the regulations governing its usage.
