EU gives green light to world's first artificial intelligence law
The project aims primarily to establish regulations for artificial intelligence (AI) based on its risks to society. It is emphasized that as the risk increases, stricter rules apply.
Dubbed a “flagship legislative initiative” by the Council, the AI Act seeks to foster the development and adoption of safe and trustworthy AI across the EU Single Market, by both public and private actors.
It is important to note that this provisional agreement is subject to ratification by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU . This step comes at a crucial time, as AI is experiencing rapid growth and becoming a relevant player in various sectors.
Some important points of the agreed law
Categorizing AI Systems: Prohibitions and High Risk Management
Under the agreed legislation, artificial intelligence (AI) systems that pose a limited risk will be subject to “very light transparency obligations.” This involves, for example, notifying citizens that content was generated by this technology, allowing them to make informed decisions from that point of view .
In contrast, AI systems deemed high risk will operate in the EU market but will be subject to a number of specific requirements and obligations. On the other hand, those systems identified as unacceptable will be directly banned. This group includes practices such as "cognitive behavioural manipulation, non-selective removal of facial images from the internet or from CCTV footage, emotion recognition in the workplace and in educational institutions, social scoring, biometric categorisation to infer sensitive data such as sexual orientation or religion, beliefs, and some cases of predictive policing for individuals ," details the EU Council.
Biometric identification systems
One of the most controversial points of the agreement focused on the use of remote biometric identification systems in real time in public spaces. In response to this issue, the legislation, still pending entry into force, establishes that the use of this tool will be permitted only for police purposes.
When will it come into force?
"Under the provisional agreement, the implementation of the legislation on artificial intelligence should take place two years after its entry into force , with certain exceptions provided for for specific provisions," the European Union said.
