Confusion surrounding the EU's AI bill.

Dozens of leading European business leaders are opposing the artificial intelligence (AI) bill proposed by the European Union (EU).

The European Union's proposed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act is causing much controversy. (Illustrative image)

In an open letter to EU lawmakers on June 30, senior executives from companies such as Siemens, Carrefour, Renault, and Airbus raised “serious concerns” about the EU’s draft AI law, which, if passed, would become the first comprehensive law on AI technology globally.

Among those who signed the letter were big names in the technology field, such as Yann LeCun, head of AI science at Meta (Facebook), and Hermann Hauser, founder of the British chip manufacturer ARM.

A group of over 160 CEOs warned that the AI ​​Act could harm the EU's competitiveness and trigger an "investment exodus".

According to them, "The Act would jeopardize Europe's competitiveness and technological sovereignty without effectively addressing the challenges we are facing and will continue to face."

These individuals argue that the regulations in the Act go too far, particularly in regulating AI in general and AI platform models, the technology behind popular platforms like ChatGPT.

The dark side

Since the AI ​​craze began this year, technologists have warned about the dark side of systems that allow humans to use machines to write college essays, take academic exams, and build websites. Last month, hundreds of leading experts warned of the risk of human extinction due to AI, stating that mitigating that risk “should be a global priority, alongside other large-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”

According to the executives, the EU proposal applies broadly to AI “regardless of its use case” and could drive innovative companies and investors out of Europe as they would face high compliance costs and “disproportionate liability risks”.

They argue: “Such regulations could lead to highly innovative companies relocating their operations overseas and investors withdrawing capital from Europe’s AI industry. The result would be a serious transatlantic productivity gap [between Europe and the US].”

Executives are urging policymakers to amend the provisions of the bill, which was agreed upon by European Parliament lawmakers earlier this month and is now being negotiated with EU member states.

“Given that we know very little about the real risks, business models, or applications of AI, European legislation should limit itself to stating general principles in a risk-based approach,” the group wrote.

These business leaders have called for the establishment of a governing board comprised of experts to oversee these principles and ensure they can continuously adapt to rapidly evolving technological changes.

The group also urged lawmakers to work with their US counterparts, noting that AI-related regulations are also being proposed in the US. EU lawmakers should strive to “create a legally binding level playing field.”

The executives warned that if such actions are not taken and Europe is constrained by legal requirements, it could damage the EU's international standing.

According to them, "like the invention of the Internet or the breakthrough of silicon chips, AI is the kind of technology that will determine the operational capacity and importance of these different sectors."

Technology experts are increasingly calling for stronger regulation of AI as it becomes more widely used. In recent months, the U.S. and China have outlined plans to regulate the technology. Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, has traveled the world advocating for international coordination on AI.

According to the European Parliament, EU regulations represent the “first attempt to enact” legally binding rules applicable to various areas of AI worldwide.

Many controversies

According to the European Parliament, the EU law is “the world’s first attempt to enact” legally binding rules applicable to a wide range of sectors in the AI ​​market.

Negotiators for the AI ​​Act hope to reach an agreement before the end of this year, and once the final code is approved by the European Parliament and EU member states, the first official regulation on AI in the West will become law.

Currently, the proposed bill would ban AI systems deemed harmful, including facial recognition systems in public spaces, predictive control tools, and social scoring systems.

The details of the draft law that are causing intense debate mainly concern the protection of personal privacy and copyright, such as whether to allow AI to track the movements of individuals in public places. China is doing so, but the EU considers this a violation of privacy.

Or consider whether AI should be allowed to recognize emotions, after Denmark used AI to analyze voice to determine if callers to emergency services showed signs of impending cardiac arrest.

The bill also introduces transparency requirements for AI systems. For example, systems like ChatGPT would have to clearly state that their content is AI-generated and provide safeguards against the creation of illegal content.

Engaging in prohibited AI activities can result in fines of up to 40 million euros (43 million USD), or the equivalent of 7% of a company's annual worldwide revenue.

But the penalties will be proportionate and take into account the market position of small-scale suppliers, suggesting there may be leniency for startups.

Not everyone opposes this draft law.

In early July, the Digital Europe trade association, which includes SAP and Ericsson, called the draft rules “a document we can work with.”

"There are still areas that can be improved to ensure Europe becomes a competitive hub for AI innovation," Digital Europe stated.

Italian Member of Parliament Brando Benifei, who participated in drafting the bill, told CNN, "We will listen to all concerns and stakeholders when dealing with AI regulation, but we are committed to ensuring that the rules are clear and enforceable."

According to him, "our work can positively influence the global conversation and direction in addressing the issue of AI and its impact on fundamental rights without hindering the pursuit of necessary innovation."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/roi-boi-du-luat-ai-cua-eu-233612.html