EU Commission: thumbscrews for „AI technology with high risk of abuse“

EU Commission: thumbscrews for „AI technology with high risk of abuse“

Brussels, 20.2.2020

The European Commission today announced its White Paper on its regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It announced plans to develop new laws to regulate the use of high-risk technology. Medical devices and autonomous cars are mentioned as examples. , which differs from more freewheel approaches for technology in the US and China. It also includes a ban on “black box” AI systems that people cannot interpret.

As part of the Executive White Paper on Artificial Intelligence, a number of “risky” technologies have been identified for future surveillance, including those in “critical sectors” and those that are considered “critical”.

Critical sectors include healthcare, transportation, police, recruitment, and the legal system, while critical-use technologies include those at risk of death, damage, injury, or legal repercussions.

Artificial intelligence technologies that fall into these two categories must adhere to strict rules, which could include compliance testing and controls, the Commission said on Wednesday.

If certain technologies fail to meet these requirements, sanctions could be imposed. Such “high-risk” technologies should also be placed “under human control” according to the Commission documents.

Another area in which the Commission will seek better monitoring is the use of potentially distorted data sets that can negatively impact demographic minorities.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, pointed out that the aim of these regulations was to promote „trust instead of fear“. The plan also includes measures to update the European Union’s AI strategy for 2018 and promote billions in research and development over the next decade.

The proposals are not final: Over the next 12 weeks, experts, lobby groups, and the general public can weigh the plan up before work on concrete laws begins. A final regulation has to be approved by the European Parliament and national governments, which is unlikely this year.

For European AI researchers, Europe revealed that it was fairly cautious about AI. The contrast to the United States and China is very large. While the political elite in these countries seldom thinks about putting thumbscrews on their top AI companies, the EU elite apparently believes that the regulation they favor will benefit competition. By gaining consumer confidence through this regulation, it will achieve a broader acceptance of AI.

Ki-news.online will be devoting more attention to the race for AI supremacy and the digitization strategies of the leading world powers in the next few days.