“This is a historical achievement, and a huge milestone towards the future! Today’s agreement effectively addresses a global challenge in a fast-evolving technological environment on a key area for the future of our societies and economies, delighted Carme Artigas, Spanish secretary of state for digitalisation and artificial intelligence. And in this endeavour, we managed to keep an extremely delicate balance: boosting innovation and uptake of artificial intelligence across Europe whilst fully respecting the fundamental rights of our citizens.
Indeed, following 3-day ‘marathon’ talks, the Council presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators have reached a provisional agreement on the proposal on harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (AI), the so-called artificial intelligence act. The draft regulation aims to ensure that AI systems placed on the European market and used in the EU are safe and respect fundamental rights and EU values. This landmark proposal also aims to stimulate investment and innovation on AI in Europe.
“To foster the development and uptake of safe and trustworthy AI across the EU’s single market”
The AI act is a flagship legislative initiative with the potential to foster the development and uptake of safe and trustworthy AI across the EU’s single market by both private and public actors. The main idea is to regulate AI based on the latter’s capacity to cause harm to society following a ‘risk-based’ approach: the higher the risk, the stricter the rules.
As the first legislative proposal of its kind in the world, it can set a global standard for AI regulation in other jurisdictions, just as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has done, thus promoting the European approach to tech regulation in the world stage.
“Government and industry have roles to play”
“IBM applauds EU negotiators for reaching a provisional agreement on the world’s first comprehensive AI legislation, declared Jean-Marc Leclerc, Director of European Affairs at IBM. We have long urged the EU to take a carefully balanced approach, focused on regulating high-risk applications of AI while promoting transparency, explainability, and safety among all AI models. As lawmakers work through the remaining technical details, we encourage EU policymakers to retain this focus on risk and accountability, rather than algorithms.” He adds : “We share the goals of enabling AI’s safe and trustworthy development and creating an open, pro-innovation AI ecosystem, and recognize that both government and industry have roles to play.”
Recently, IBM announced watsonx.governance to provide organizations with the toolkit they need to manage risk, embrace transparency, and anticipate compliance with AI-focused regulation like this. “IBM looks forward to working with the EU institutions, governments, and other stakeholders to support the responsible uptake and governance of AI so its benefits are enjoyed broadly across business and society.”
