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The European Union (EU) has taken a major step in regulating the burgeoning AI technology. The governing body on Wednesday passed the first draft of the AI Act, which would put restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence in the region. It aims to turn the draft act into law by the end of this year. The proposed law also bans real-time, remote biometric identification systems such as facial recognition.
Calls for regulation on AI have grown in recent months, particularly after generative AI tools like ChatGPT ushered the tech industry into a new AI revolution. But works on such regulations have been ongoing for a few years now. European lawmakers proposed the first regulatory framework for AI in the region back in April 2021. After more than two years of countless debates, the governing body has now passed a draft law.
The AI Act has varying rules depending on the risk level of AI systems
The AI Act draft passed by the EU specifies different rules for different levels of risk from AI. It puts a blanket ban on “unacceptable risk AI systems” which include “cognitive behavioral manipulation of people or specific vulnerable groups,” “classifying people based on behavior, socio-economic status, or personal characteristics,” and “real-time and remote biometric identification systems”.
Other lesser-risk AI systems will be assessed before market launch and also throughout their lifecycle. These include AI technologies used across various areas such as biometric identification, management and operation of critical infrastructure, education and vocational training, law enforcement, and more. Vendors must register such systems in an EU database before putting them out on the market.
Last but not least, generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard, which are all the rage right now, would have to comply with transparency requirements in the EU once the AI Act turns into law. These tools must disclose AI-generated content and prevent users from generating illegal content. The EU also requires these tools to publish summaries of copyrighted data used for training.
“Parliament’s priority is to make sure that AI systems used in the EU are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory, and environmentally friendly,” the governing body said in a press release. “AI systems should be overseen by people, rather than by automation, to prevent harmful outcomes. Parliament also wants to establish a technology-neutral, uniform definition for AI that could be applied to future AI systems”. Once passed as law, the EU’s AI Act will be the world’s first major regulation on AI.
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