European Union Artificial Intelligence Act

The EU AI Act, formally known as the European Union Regulation on a European Approach for Artificial Intelligence, is a comprehensive legislative proposal aimed at regulating the development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems within the European Union (EU).

Some key components of the act are:
1. Scope: The act outlines the types of AI systems that fall under its jurisdiction, focusing primarily on high-risk AI applications that have the potential to significantly impact individuals or society. These include AI systems used in critical infrastructure, law enforcement, employment, and essential public services, among others.
2. Prohibited Practices: The act prohibits certain AI practices deemed as unacceptable due to their potential to harm individuals or infringe upon their rights. This includes AI systems designed to manipulate human behavior or exploit vulnerabilities, as well as those used for social scoring and indiscriminate surveillance.
3. Transparency and Accountability: The act emphasizes transparency and accountability in the development and deployment of AI systems. It requires providers to ensure transparency regarding the capabilities and limitations of their AI systems, as well as accountability mechanisms for addressing errors, biases, and adverse impacts.
4. Data Quality and Governance: Recognizing the central role of data in AI systems, the act promotes high standards of data quality and governance. It requires providers to use reliable and representative data sets, implement data protection measures, and ensure transparency regarding data sources and processing methods.
5. Human Oversight and Control: The act emphasizes the importance of human oversight and control in AI decision-making processes. It requires providers to implement mechanisms that enable human intervention, oversight, and control, especially in high-risk applications where the potential for harm is significant.
6. Risk-Based Approach: The act adopts a risk-based approach to AI regulation, focusing primarily on high-risk applications while allowing for lighter-touch regulation for low-risk AI systems. This approach aims to strike a balance between promoting innovation and protecting individuals and society from potential harms.
7. Enforcement and Oversight: To ensure compliance with the regulation, the act establishes mechanisms for enforcement and oversight, including the designation of competent authorities responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance, as well as imposing penalties for non-compliance.