The European Commission has announced that AI Act, a legal framework which seeks to address the risks of AI and place Europe “to play a leading role globally” by setting out clear requirements and obligations in support of “trustworthy AI”, has officially entered into force today.
Designed to address risks with AI systems that could lead to “undesirable outcomes”, the Act includes provisions to help mitigate risks created by AI applications; to ban AI practices that pose “unacceptable risks”; to set out clear obligations for both deployers and providers of AI applications deemed to be high risk; and to put in place enforcement and a governance structure at both European and national level.
Under the Act, high risk AI systems include those relating to critical infrastructures which could “put the life and health of citizens at risk”, and those linked to the safety components of products, such as an AI application in robot-assisted surgery. The Act will see these kinds of systems subjected to “strict obligations” prior to their launch on the market, which cover appropriate human oversight to mitigate risk, detailed information to allow an assessment of compliance, and high quality datasets.
The European AI Office, which was established earlier this year, will be responsible for the Act’s enforcement and implementation within member states, fostering collaboration, innovation, and research in AI.
Although the Act enters into force today (1 August 2024), it will not become “fully applicable” until two years’ time. To support organisations in planning ahead for its measures, the AI Pact voluntary network has been set up, designed to “seek the industry’s voluntary commitment to anticipate the AI Act” and to beginning work on implementation ahead of the deadline, as well as to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and good practice within the wider AI community.
In other news around AI news, HTNI spoke to Irina Shymko, VP of business development at Ukrainian start-up Datuum.AI, who shared with us some of the challenges the company is working to overcome relating to healthcare data on a global level, and ambitions for artificial intelligence over the next ten years.
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