Newsroom / CNA
In a landmark decision, the European Parliament Plenary in Strasbourg voted today to approve a new regulation aimed at safeguarding fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law, and environmental sustainability from high-risk Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. The regulation seeks to bolster innovation while positioning Europe as a leader in AI technology.
With 523 votes in favor, 46 against, and 49 abstentions, MEPs endorsed the regulation, signaling a significant step forward in regulating AI use within the EU.
The regulation prohibits AI applications that pose threats to citizens' rights, such as biometric categorization systems based on sensitive characteristics and the untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV footage for facial recognition databases.
Law enforcement's use of biometric identification systems (RBI) is restricted, permitted only in specific situations outlined exhaustively and subject to prior judicial or administrative authorization.
Additionally, the regulation bans emotion recognition in workplaces and schools, social scoring, predictive policing based solely on profiling or assessing individuals' characteristics, and AI that manipulates human behavior or exploits vulnerabilities.
Crucially, citizens have the right to lodge complaints regarding AI systems and receive explanations for decisions affecting their rights.
Transparency requirements mandate that general-purpose AI (GPAI) systems and their underlying models adhere to EU copyright law and publish detailed summaries of training data. Moreover, artificial or manipulated content, such as "deepfakes," must be clearly labeled as such.
To foster innovation, the regulation mandates the establishment of regulatory sandboxes and real-world testing at the national level, accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups. This initiative aims to develop and train innovative AI technologies before their market debut.
An AI Office will be established to assist companies in complying with the regulations before they come into effect, signaling the EU's commitment to responsible AI development and deployment.
