The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act officially enters into force on Thursday, marking the world’s first legislation dedicated to artificial intelligence.
Originally drafted by the European Commission in 2021, the EU AI Act has undergone various amendments by the European Parliament and the Council, leading to the publication of the final version as Regulation 2024/1689 in the Official Journal of the European Union on July 12, 2024. The regulation aims to standardize AI rules across EU member states.
The act creates a tiered framework categorizing AI risk levels into four groups:
- Minimal risk: Practices such as video games and spam filters, which are not regulated.
- Limited risk: AI applications requiring transparency, informing users about their interactions with such technologies.
- High-risk: Applications subject to stringent criteria for market access, including medical devices and AI in transport or recruitment.
- Unacceptable risk: Systems deemed threats to individual safety and rights, which are banned outright.
The regulatory framework was approved by the EU with a foundation in the values outlined in Articles 2 and 6 of the Treaty of the European Union (TEU), including human dignity and the rule of law. The EU emphasizes an “ethical and human-centric approach” to AI development and usage.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that the act aims to create “new guardrails not only to protect people and their interests but also to give business and innovators clear rules and certainty.” Additionally, the legislation is designed to promote AI investment and innovation within the EU while facilitating the development of a single market for AI applications.
While all bans on prohibited practices will be enforced within the first six months, the implementation of other regulations will be carried out over a span of two years. Given its pioneering status, the EU AI Act may also serve as a model for AI regulations globally, setting standards that other jurisdictions might adopt.
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