European Union lawmakers have given the green light to a comprehensive set of artificial intelligence regulations first proposed in 2021. They are expected to start coming into force this May.
The European Parliament announced Wednesday that its members had voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new law, 523 to 46. It will implement safeguards on general purpose AI and impose restrictions on the use of biometric identification systems by law enforcement, among other things.
“The adoption of the AI Act marks the beginning of a new AI era and its importance cannot be overstated,” Enza Iannopollo, Principal Analyst at the research and consulting firm Forrester, said. She described the framework as being the world’s first and only set of binding requirements to mitigate risks associated with the technology.
The AI Act will focus on creating safeguards for high-risk AI technologies like medical devices and those that support critical infrastructure in member countries. It aims to prevent the use of tech that can exploit peoples’ vulnerabilities and threaten their human rights, the EU Parliament says.
Violations of the new law could potentially result in fines ranging between €7.5 million to €35 million. Fines will depend on the offence and size of the outfit responsible.
“Thanks to Parliament, unacceptable AI practices will be banned in Europe and the rights of workers and citizens will be protected,” Italian politician and Member of Parliament Brando Benifei said.
Prior to its implementation in May, the law will need to receive endorsement and pass final checks from the European Council. It will be a gradual process, coming into full force in all regards two years after being enacted.
🎉🇪🇺 It's official: the EU AI Act, the world's first comprehensive AI law, has passed in the European Parliament. 👏👏
After lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in support of the Act today, co-rapporteur @IoanDragosT reflected on these "truly historical, pioneering" rules: pic.twitter.com/R7ISZJWgjA
— Future of Life Institute (@FLI_org) March 13, 2024
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Move receives praise from major tech companies
The pioneering move by the European Union was well received among certain influential AI developers.
“The risk-based approach aligns with IBM’s (NYSE: IBM) commitment to ethical AI practices and will contribute to building open and trustworthy AI ecosystems,” IBM Vice President Christina Montgomery said.
Furthermore, Salesforce Inc (NYSE: CRM) applauded the initiative.
“We believe that by creating risk-based frameworks such as the EU AI Act, pushing for commitments to ethical and trustworthy AI, and convening multi-stakeholder groups, regulators can make a substantial positive impact,” Eric Loeb, the company’s Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, said.
Prior to the vote, Romanian politician Dragoș Tudorache (see X post above) told reporters that copyright provisions had been one of the heaviest lobbied aspects of the bill.
He says the technology has already surpassed what we could have ever thought possible and will only continue to do so in the years to come.
rowan@mugglehead.com
