EU agrees to regulate potentially harmful effects of artificial intelligence

Dec 11, 2023 ·

The European Union (EU) is taking steps to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) with a new set of rules that could potentially have a global impact on the development and use of AI technology. The rules, which will be voted on by members of the European Parliament in January of 2024, aim to ensure that AI does not cause harm or discrimination against consumers, while still allowing the industry to innovate and develop new technologies.

The proposed regulations would require companies to provide data privacy and security guarantees, as well as safeguards against the misuse of AI for malicious purposes. Additionally, companies must assess the potential risks of their AI systems before they can be deployed into the market. This includes performing assessments and analyses that show their AI system is compliant with EU laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Furthermore, companies must also adhere to rules regarding algorithmic accountability, meaning they must be able to explain how their AI system works and why it produces certain results. They must also set up processes to detect, report, and address any potential biases or errors in their AI systems.

The regulations would also make companies liable for any damage caused by their AI systems. This means that if an AI system fails and causes harm, the company responsible for the system may be held accountable for damages resulting from the failure.

Finally, the regulations include measures to protect EU citizens from discrimination or exploitation by AI systems, such as regulations requiring companies to design AI systems with non-discriminatory algorithms and provide equal access to all users.

If passed, the regulations would become legally binding across the entire EU, making them the first set of regulations of their kind to be implemented at a multinational level. While the regulations are still being debated, it is expected that they will have a significant impact on the future of AI development and use across the globe.