AI tools will be categorised in order of their perceived risk level from minimal through to limited, high, and unacceptable
EU lawmakers committee reached a preliminary agreement on the European AI act. (Credit: Tung Nguyen from Pixabay)
A panel of European Union (EU) lawmakers has reportedly arrived at a preliminary agreement on the European Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act), which is aimed to enact a horizontal regulation of AI.
The members of the European Parliament have decided to advance the draft through to the trilogue, where EU lawmakers and member states will debate and review the final details of the bill, reported Reuters.
The proposal to regulate AI technology came in April 2021.
It was a response to explicit requests from the European Parliament and the European Council for legislative action to ensure a smooth internal market for AI systems where both advantages and risks of AI are effectively handled.
Any copyrighted materials used to develop the systems will have to be disclosed by companies using generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, said the news agency, citing an early EU agreement.
According to the proposals, AI tools will be categorised in order of their perceived risk level from minimal through to limited, high, and unacceptable.
Biometric surveillance, discriminatory language, and the spreading of misinformation will be the areas of concern.
High-risk tools are not expected to be banned but the companies leveraging them will have to be highly transparent in their operations.
European Parliament deputy Svenja Hahn, has been quoted by Reuters, as saying: “Against conservative wishes for more surveillance and leftist fantasies of over-regulation, parliament found a solid compromise that would regulate AI proportionately, protect citizens’ rights, as well as foster innovation and boost the economy.”
In March 2023, Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk along with several AI researchers and other prominent industry executives signed an open letter that called for an immediate pause on AI developments for at least six months.
The signatories urged governments to step in and impose a moratorium if such a halt cannot be implemented immediately.