EU lawmakers on Wednesday pushed the bloc closer to approving one of the world’s first laws regulating artificial intelligence (AI) systems like ChatGPT, backing a key text that could shape future legislation. forms the basis of

While the European Union first proposed such a law in 2021, the draft rules gained more urgency when ChatGPT came to light last year, revealing AI’s staggering advances and potential risks. went.

The EU says its law, once passed, will set a “global standard”, but the bloc could face pushback from big tech companies.

US-based OpenAI, which created ChatGPT, has already warned that it could be forced out of the EU based on the content of the law.

While proponents of AI praise the technology for how it will transform society, including work, health care and creative pursuits, others worry about its potential to undermine democracy.

There are many amazing examples of the use of AI, including the “definitive Beatles record” created using the technology, while ChatGPT has passed business, law and medical exams.

After months of heated negotiations between lawmakers to back the compromise text, MEPs voted overwhelmingly to open negotiations with the EU’s 27 member states, with talks set to begin later Wednesday. .

The EU insists the law will promote AI innovation while also protecting people from the risks posed by the technology.

Brussels is particularly concerned about deepfakes – AI-generated images and audio that can be surprisingly lifelike – and how the technology could be used to misinform elections across Europe. A year before

A ‘balanced’ approach

The law will regulate AI according to the level of risk: the greater the risk to the rights or health of individuals, for example, the greater the system’s obligations.

Brussels wants the final law passed by the end of this year.

Even if this ambitious goal is achieved, the law won’t come into effect until 2026 at the earliest, forcing the EU to push for voluntary transitional agreements with tech companies.

Parliament’s text differs from that proposed by the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, in 2021.

Lawmakers proposed bans on AI systems that use biometric surveillance, including facial recognition, and direct use of so-called predictive policing.

But the commission wants such technology to be allowed to be used by security forces against crime and terrorism in exceptional circumstances.

Commission vice-president Margaret Vestager noted Parliament’s approach and how it contrasted with “a slightly more pragmatic or security-based approach”.

The text also calls for special requirements on generative AI systems — such as ChatGPT and DALL-E that are capable of generating text, images, code, audio and other media — including telling users that Machines, not humans, create content.

As member states and parliament hammer out a deal in the coming months, officials said bans and creative AI will dominate discussions.

The legislation builds on the EU’s already strong legal arsenal against technology companies, including two major rules to ensure social media platforms follow the bloc’s rules.

The EU’s proposed high-risk list includes AI in critical infrastructure, education, human resources, public order and migration management.

Parliament added additional conditions before a high risk classification could be met, including the potential to harm people’s health, safety, rights or the environment.

Which was not welcomed by everyone.

The CCIA, a European industry lobby group representing major tech companies, warned that some of the MEPs’ changes “may burden European AI developers with overly prescriptive rules, ultimately stifling innovation”.

Across the Atlantic there are also clamors to regulate AI, although Washington lags far behind the EU in enacting such laws.

“We’ve made history today,” Brando Benefai, one of the EU lawmakers leading the draft law through parliament, said on Wednesday.

He said lawmakers had praised the EU’s dialogue with the rest of the world to regulate AI.