The legislation bans indiscriminate scraping of images from the internet or security footage to create facial recognition databases, but includes exemptions for the use of “real-time” facial recognition by law enforcement to investigate terrorism and serious crimes.
European Union policymakers have reached an agreement on the “AI Act” after nearly 38 hours of negotiations, marking a significant step towards regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the EU. The legislation is hailed as a global first and a unique legal framework for the development of AI that can be trusted, safeguarding the rights of people and businesses.
Under the “AI Act,” tech companies doing business in the EU will be required to disclose data used to train AI systems and carry out testing of products, especially those used in high-risk applications such as self-driving vehicles and healthcare. Additionally, the legislation bans indiscriminate scraping of images from the internet or security footage to create facial recognition databases, with exemptions for the use of “real-time” facial recognition by law enforcement to investigate terrorism and serious crimes.
The EU’s “AI Act” is seen as the most comprehensive effort yet to regulate AI amid a growing patchwork of guidelines and regulations globally. While the United States and China have also taken steps to regulate AI, the EU’s legislation sets a benchmark for governments hoping to take advantage of the potential benefits of AI while guarding against risks such as disinformation, job displacement, and copyright infringement.
