The European Union (EU) is close to finalizing its Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), an extensive legal framework to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI). This Act, aims to promote innovation in the field of AI technologies, while still protecting the fundamental rights of citizens.
However, the recent controversy regarding the use of ChatGPT has caused concerns. The AI system was developed by OpenAI and is an advanced natural language processing system. This system has raised security concerns among some countries, such as Italy and Germany, who have even moved to ban the use of the chatbot due to its potential misuse.
In response to the security concerns, the US Treasury Department recently called for the certification of AI models before they can be launched in the US.
The EU has now responded to the varied perspectives on ChatGPT with a more nuanced approach to its regulation. The updated draft of the AI Act suggests that ChatGPT will be classified as high-risk if it is used in an unethical manner, such as political propaganda, hate speech, cyberbullying or fraud. On the other hand, it is expected to be classified as limited-risk when utilized for educational, research or entertainment purposes. Finally, the risk assessment for ChatGPT is minimal-risk when used for personal use or hobby. This adaptable classification system will take into account the purpose for which the technology is utilized, and adjust the requirements for its compliance.
The AI Act is expected to come into effect in the year 2023, following a vote in the European Parliament. The Act is being closely watched as it symbolizes a more comprehensive set of regulations which will be more favorable for AI-based applications.
Microsoft has been at the forefront of the AI race and has made a significant investment of $10 billion into OpenAI to support the development and use of their advanced AI system, ChatGPT. Microsoft has incorporated the technology into many of its services, such as Bing Chat, Bing Image Creator, Microsoft Edge Copilot and GitHub Copilot, among others.
While the risk of using AI technology can be concerning, the EU’s AI Act with its robust regulation and classification of risk is a step in the right direction to facilitate safe and responsible use. Those looking to make use of AI technologies can refer to our guide for easy steps to limit bandwidth for Windows Update downloads so their device does not have to suffer slow performance during downloads.
