Berlin, November 18 ( Reuters )- A consensus has been reached by Germany, France, and Italy regarding the future regulation of artificial intelligence, aiming to expedite negotiations at the European level.
The agreement stipulates that both major and minor AI services within the European Union should adhere to voluntary commitments that carry legal weight.
Discussions are currently underway among the European Commission, European Parliament, and EU Council to determine the stance of the alliance in this emerging field.
In June, the European Parliament introduced the “AI Act” to harness the innovative potential of this technology in Europe while mitigating discriminatory and health-related risks associated with AI software.
During the debate, the European Parliament proposed that only prominent AI providers, primarily from the United States, should promptly be subjected to a code of conduct.
However, the three EU bodies cautioned against this perceived advantage for smaller German companies, citing potential drawbacks such as reduced clientele and diminished trust in the stability of these smaller providers.
Therefore, they suggested that the code of conduct and transparency regulations should be universally binding.
The report emphasizes that restrictions should not be the primary focus. Nevertheless, a mechanism for enforcing penalties in case of code of conduct violations discovered at a later stage may be established. The report also mentions the intention to appoint a Western authority to oversee compliance with standards moving forward.
Germany’s Economy Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Affairs, clarified that laws and directives do not directly govern AI itself but rather its applications.
The government does not impose distinct regulations on the development of AI models unless they are already in operation or available in the market.
A significant event, hosted by the European state in Jena, Thuringia, will bring together representatives from politics, industry, and research on Monday and Tuesday.
Subsequently, discussions on AI will feature prominently on the agenda when the German and Italian governments convene in Berlin on Wednesday.
