The EU's ambitious AI law, originally proposed in 2019, is facing a crossroads.
Negotiators are currently finalizing the main points of the law, a task that has turn into extraordinarily complex with the appearance of generative AI.
The December 6 meeting is the last opportunity to achieve agreement on debated and controversial points of the law before the top of the 12 months. If no agreement is reached, it is feasible that the law won’t be implemented until September 2024.
“Rather than the AI Act becoming the worldwide gold standard for AI regulation, there’s a small but growing likelihood that it is going to not be passed before next 12 months’s European Parliament elections,” explained Nick Reiners, technology policy analyst on the Eurasia Group. a political risk consulting firm.
The EU AI Law was intended to create the world's first comprehensive AI regulations, which was expected to cement the EU's position as a world leader in technology laws, as was the case with the GDPR.
However, the negotiation process was lengthy and meandering, particularly within the context of general-purpose AI services corresponding to ChatGPT, Bard and Claude.
These models serve multiple functions, meaning they avoid a single category indirectly. At the identical time, regulations are considered vital to make sure accountability when firms integrate these models into their services.
Generative AI has derailed the trail of AI law, especially now that the US, UK, China and various international coalitions and agreements are establishing their very own patchwork of rules and regulations.
Suddenly the EU's desire to prepared the ground was stalled because there have been many devils lurking in the main points of the AI models.
Credibility of the EU AI law doubtful
AI is an economic powerhouse that’s revitalizing a sluggish Silicon Valley and awakening enterprise capitalists from their post-pandemic slumber. Therefore, regulation just isn’t at all times welcomed, each by governments and AI firms.
There can also be concern that it is solely too early for comprehensive laws on AI and that geopolitical tensions are clouding the situation.
Kent Walker, Google's chief legal officer, specified“The race must be for the very best AI regulations, not the primary AI regulations.”
Even if a deal is reached this week, it must receive approval from the EU's 705 lawmakers by April.
This is important to make sure the laws is in place before the bloc begins EU elections in June. The actual implementation of the law would require a two-year transition period.
Dragos Tudorache, a Romanian lawmaker who helped lead negotiations on the AI law within the European Parliament, openly admitted: “We will keep you guessing until the very last moment.”
The AI Act will undoubtedly change points of the AI industry, nevertheless it just isn’t yet possible to say exactly when it is going to likely come into force.
