European Union reveals new Rules to Regulate Artificial Intelligence Uses

AI to be regulated by new set of rules…Learn more…

Thursday, 22nd April 2021

Officials of the European Union announced a new plan this Wednesday whereby they target to regulate the vast field of Artificial Intelligence that will, in turn, make Europe a world leader in the new tech revolution of AI. The body also intends to assure the public against future "Big Brother"- like abuses, through this particular move.

"Whether it's precision farming in agriculture, more accurate medical diagnosis or safe autonomous driving — artificial intelligence will open up new worlds for us. But this world also needs rules," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her state-of-the-union speech in September.

She added, "We want a set of rules that puts people at the centre."

However, before a definitive text is put into force, a lengthy debate will be conducted between the European Parliament and 27 member states that are expected to go on for months. The EU's executive arm, the Commission has been doing work in the background for more than a year now, preparing a proposal to this effect.

The proposed rules are an attempt by the EU to set the terms on AI, a sector that encompasses everything from voice recognition to insurance and law enforcement and keep up with nations like the United States and China who claim to be leaders in this field. This is also in a way, the European body's way of getting back into the race having fallen behind after the internet revolution and failing to come up with adequate competitors to the likes of Silicon Valley or their Chinese competitors.

Meanwhile, it has been pointed out that the draft regulation will only go so far as creating a prohibition on a limited number of uses that pose a threat to the EU's fundamental rights. Both big techs and civil liberties groups have raised their concerns over the plans stating that the EU is either not doing enough or is trying to overreach.

The draft said, this his would make "generalised surveillance" of the population out of reach as well as any tech "used to manipulate the behaviour, opinions or decisions" of citizens. It added that anything bearing resemblance with a social rating of individuals on the basis of their behaviour or personality would also be banned.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source:

The Hindu