Artificial Intelligence Law: World's First AI Legislation

The European Union (EU) recently introduced its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, the first of its kind which seeks to regulate the development and use of AI in the region and builds in protections for the general public.

Here are the key takeaways:

1. The AI Act defines AI as software that can perform tasks without being explicitly programmed to do so, and that can improve its performance over time based on experience.
   
2. The Act imposes obligations on developers and users of AI systems, including a requirement to assess and mitigate risks associated with AI systems.
   
3. The Act establishes a system of conformity assessments for high-risk AI systems, which must be certified by an independent third party before being placed on the market or put into service.
   
4. The Act prohibits certain uses of AI, including those that manipulate human behavior in a way that is harmful, deceptive, or unduly influential.
   
5. The Act also prohibits AI systems that are designed or used to enable social scoring, unless they are necessary for public security purposes.
   
6. The Act sets out requirements for transparency and accountability in the use of AI, including a requirement to provide information to users and to keep records of AI systems' activities.
   
7. The Act gives individuals certain rights with respect to AI, including the right to know when an AI system is being used to make decisions that affect them, and the right to challenge such decisions.
   
8. The Act establishes a European Artificial Intelligence Board to oversee the Act's implementation and provide guidance to member states.
   
9. The Act includes significant penalties for non-compliance, including fines of up to 6% of a company's global turnover.
   
10. The AI Act has been praised for its ambitious scope and its focus on protecting individuals and society from the potential harms of AI.

According to Eleni Melekou, an international commercial attorney at Pardalis & Nohavicka, "The EU's AI Act is a bold and important step towards ensuring that AI is developed and used in a way that is responsible, ethical, and in line with fundamental human rights."