EU takes the lead in passing AI bill

The European Parliament passed a landmark artificial intelligence bill on Wednesday, marking the EU's move to overtake the United States in regulating key technologies and setting clear boundaries and norms for the future of artificial intelligence. The bill will play a key role in how European companies and organizations apply artificial intelligence technology, banning some unacceptable applications and setting strict guardrails for other applications deemed high-risk.

Setting red lines for the application of artificial intelligence

The EU's AI bill prohibits a range of unacceptable applications covering a variety of areas. These include a ban on the use of AI-driven social scoring systems and any tools based on biometrics used to guess an individual's race, political inclination or sexual orientation. In addition, it prohibits the use of AI to interpret an individual's emotions in schools and workplaces, as well as certain types of automated analysis that predicts the likelihood of an individual committing a crime.

In addition to prohibiting unacceptable applications, the bill also sets strict guardrails for AI applications deemed high-risk. These applications include AI systems in education, recruitment, government services and other fields, imposing a series of transparency and other obligations on them to ensure that citizens' rights and interests are fully protected.

Constraints and requirements on the company

The bill not only targets the application level, but also imposes new disclosure requirements on companies that produce AI models. Companies such as OpenAI that produce powerful, complex, and widely used AI models will be subject to new regulations and must comply with new transparency requirements and label all AI-generated deep fakes.

The bill also establishes a regulatory sandbox and real-world testing to support innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises to develop and train innovative AI in compliance with the rules. This initiative helps safeguard the development of technological innovation and provides an opportunity for companies to prepare before the rules come into effect.

Background of the bill and next steps

The bill, which will come into force in nearly two years, highlights the EU policymakers' concern about the development of artificial intelligence technology and the protection of citizens' rights. The bill was passed in response to citizens' proposals for the EU's future conference, aiming to enhance the EU's competitiveness in strategic areas, ensure a safe and trustworthy society, promote digital innovation, and ensure that humans are at the core of artificial intelligence development.

The United States vs. Europe

The bill is different from the US in terms of AI legislation. Although the US government has begun to pay attention to the impact of AI, it has not yet made any significant progress in AI federal legislation. The EU's legislative measures set clear boundaries for the development of AI and provide strong protection for citizens' rights, demonstrating the EU's leadership in AI regulation.

The EU's AI Act marks the beginning of a new era of AI regulation, providing an important model for the balance between technological innovation and citizens' rights. The passage of this bill will have a profound impact on the development of global AI technology and lay the foundation for a safer, fairer and more transparent AI era.