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Agence France-Presse

EU lawmakers voted on Wednesday to adopt a key text forming the basis of a future law regulating artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, while aiming to foster innovation in the technology.
Negotiations on the final law will begin later on Wednesday between the European Parliament and the EU’s 27 member countries.
If Brussels hits its ambitious target of reaching an agreement by the end of the year, it would be the world’s first law regulating AI.
Although the EU’s plans date back to 2021, the draft rules took on greater urgency when ChatGPT exploded onto the scene last year, showing off AI’s dizzying advances and possible risks.
Will you be replaced by your AI clone? Maybe one day, but not quite yet
There is also growing clamour to regulate AI across the Atlantic, as pressure grows on Western governments to act fast in what some describe as a battle to protect humanity.
While AI proponents hail the technology for how it will transform society, including work, healthcare and creative pursuits, others are worried by its potential to undermine democracy.
There have been a slew of awe-inspiring examples of AI’s uses including a “final Beatles record” created using the technology, while US-based OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT has passed business, law and medical exams.
Even if the EU’s ambitious legislative target is achieved, the law would not come into force until 2026 at the earliest, forcing the EU to push for a voluntary interim pact with tech companies.

The law would regulate AI according to the level of risk: the higher the risk to individuals’ rights or health, for example, the greater the systems’ obligations.
The EU’s proposed high-risk list includes AI in critical infrastructure, education, human resources, public order and migration management.
The parliament has added extra conditions to that, before the high-risk classification would be met, including the potential to harm people’s health, safety, rights or the environment.
There are also special requirements for generative AI systems – those such as ChatGPT and DALL-E capable of producing text, images, code, audio and other media – that include telling users that a machine, not a human, produced the content.


Lawmakers also proposed bans on AI systems that use biometric surveillance, emotion recognition and so-called predictive policing.
An MEP spearheading the law in parliament, Brando Benifei, told journalists on Tuesday there are talks to consider whether to accelerate the law’s implementation or to bring in rules earlier for generative AI.
“We could also consider some reduced timing for some of the AI, for example foundation models and generative AI,” Benifei said.
In his reasoning, he pointed to plans by Brussels and the United States to release a common code of conduct on AI to develop standards among democracies.
AI raises a lot of questions – socially, ethically, economically. But now is not the time to hit any ‘pause button’
Thierry Breton, EU official
Lawmakers have hailed their draft law as “historic” and pushed back against critics who say the EU’s plans could harm rather than encourage innovation.
EU internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, welcomed the vote and insisted “there is no time to lose”.
“AI raises a lot of questions – socially, ethically, economically. But now is not the time to hit any ‘pause button’,” Breton said. “On the contrary, it is about acting fast and taking responsibility.”
Additional reporting by Reuters


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European Union

EU lawmakers approve plan on bloc’s future AI rules

EU lawmakers agreed to changes in draft artificial intelligence rules proposed by the European Commission in a bid to set a global standard for a technology used in everything from automated factories to bots such as ChatGPT. Photo: AFP

The EU has taken steps to regulate artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT. Photo: Shutterstock

Will AI boost or break Singapore’s art scene amid ‘wild west’ scenario, and should artists be worried?

Singapore’s Copyright Act does not include AI-generated works. Photo: Xinhua

Experts say that there is still much left to iron out, such as copyright regulations and ethical code of conduct, as artists learn to navigate the use of generative AI tools. Photo: Shutterstock

Some schools in Singapore, such as Nanyang Technological University’s National Institute of Education, are already incorporating the use of AI technology. Photo: Shutterstock

India’s Tata looks to AI to help Asia tackle elderly care, climate change, skills training

An elderly woman receives a vaccine injection in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: EPA-EFE

Visitors try AI ‘walkers’ – which can help people to walk – at the 2022 World Robot Conference in Beijing. Photo: SCMP/Simon Song

A woman offers food to her elderly father and mother. What will AI be doing in years to come to help care for us? Photo: Shutterstock

Google ordered by EU to break up digital ad business for ‘abusing its dominant position’

Photo: Reuters

European Union antitrust regulators took aim at Google’s lucrative digital advertising business in an unprecedented decision, saying the tech giant must sell off some of its ad business to address competition concerns. Photo: Reuters

AI users in Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan more likely to be lonely insomniacs, survey finds

Rapid advancement in artificial-intelligence systems “is sparking a new industrial revolution that is reshaping the workplace”, the study’s authors said. Photo: Shutterstock

The study’s authors surveyed 166 Taiwanese engineers, 126 Indonesian property consultants, 294 Malaysian tech workers and 214 US adults. Photo: Reuters

Paul McCartney says ‘final Beatles record’ will be out this year thanks to AI

Twist and Shout Record Single. Photo: Shutterstock

The Beatles, left to right, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon arrive at London Airport after a trip to Paris. Photo: Getty Images

News

World

Europe

Tech

If Brussels hits its ambitious target of reaching an agreement by the end of the year, it would be the world’s first law regulating AI
There is growing clamour to regulate AI, as pressure grows on Western governments to act fast in what some describe as a battle to protect humanity


If Brussels hits its ambitious target of reaching an agreement by the end of the year, it would be the world’s first law regulating AI.


Diplomacy

Artificial intelligence

Technology

EU lawmakers approve plan on bloc’s future AI rules

If Brussels hits its ambitious target of reaching an agreement by the end of the year, it would be the world’s first law regulating AI There is growing clamour to regulate AI, as pressure grows on Western governments to act fast in what some describe as a battle to protect humanity

If Brussels hits its ambitious target of reaching an agreement by the end of the year, it would be the world’s first law regulating AI

There is growing clamour to regulate AI, as pressure grows on Western governments to act fast in what some describe as a battle to protect humanity