European Union negotiators have clinched a deal on the world’s first comprehensive artificial intelligence rules, paving the way for legal oversight of AI technology that has promised to transform everyday life and spurred warnings of existential dangers to humanity.
The political accord was achieved between the European Parliament and the Council concerning the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). The proposal for this act was initially put forth by the Commission in April 2021.
The regulation aims to ensure trust and safety in AI by defining four levels of risk and banning unacceptable risk applications.
- High-risk AI systems must comply with strict requirements before and after they are put on the market,
- Limited-risk AI systems must inform users that they are dealing with an AI system, not a human.
- Minimal or no-risk AI systems are subject to existing legislation
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, remarked, “Artificial intelligence is already reshaping our daily experiences, and this is only the outset. When harnessed judiciously and expansively, AI holds the potential for significant advantages to our economy and society.”
