eu ai act
The European Union (EU) has been actively working on shaping regulations and policies related to artificial intelligence (AI). The European Commission, which is the executive branch of the EU, has been at the forefront of these efforts. One of the key documents in this regard is the "Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Laying Down Harmonised Rules on Artificial Intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act)".
Key features of the proposed EU AI Act include:
- Risk-Based Approach: The regulation adopts a risk-based approach, categorizing AI systems into different levels of risk (ranging from unacceptable risk to minimal risk). Stricter requirements are proposed for high-risk AI systems, such as those used in critical infrastructure, education, healthcare, and law enforcement.
- Prohibited AI Practices: Certain practices deemed as unacceptable are explicitly prohibited. These include AI systems that manipulate human behavior in a way that could cause harm, exploit vulnerable groups, or enable social scoring by governments.
- Transparency and Accountability: The proposal emphasizes the importance of transparency in AI systems. Users should be informed when they are interacting with an AI system, and there should be clear accountability for the outcomes of AI applications.
- Data Governance: The regulation addresses the issue of data used to train AI systems, emphasizing the need for high-quality training data that is representative and free from bias. It also recognizes the importance of protecting privacy and personal data.
- Conformity Assessment and Certification: For high-risk AI systems, a conformity assessment procedure is proposed to ensure compliance with the regulation. Additionally, there is a suggestion for the establishment of a European AI Board to facilitate coordination between national authorities.