The European Council has announced that an agreement had been reached between the Council’s presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators on the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, with the draft regulation aiming to ensure the safety of AI systems brought to the European market, as well as to “stimulate investment and innovation on AI in Europe”.
Termed “a flagship legislative initiative”, the act is intended to help introduce a risk-based approach to regulation of AI technology, setting “a global standard for regulation in other jurisdictions” and “promoting the European approach to tech regulation in the world stage”.
The main new elements of the provisional agreement include rules on high-impact general-purpose AI and high-risk AI systems, a revised system of governance with “some enforcement powers at EU level”, and better protection of rights through requiring those deploying high-risk AI systems to carry out a fundamental rights impact assessment. Further provisions have also been added to allow the testing of AI systems in real world conditions, provided specific conditions and safeguards are met.
Amendments have been made to ensure that certain public entities will also be obliged to register in the EU database for high-risk AI systems, and that there is an obligation for users of an emotion recognition system to “inform natural persons when they are being exposed to such a system”.
In terms of next steps, the Council states that work will continue to finalise the details of the new Artificial Intelligence Act, before it is submitted to member states’ representatives for endorsement.
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In other news on AI, an article from the United States recently published in the Journal of Medical Systems has highlighted three key areas for AI to decrease administrative burden and empower physicians and patients.
