EU artificial intelligence act global first, far-reaching impact

Editor's note: Belunn Se, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a senior industry observer based in Shenzhen, China. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The European Parliament passed the Artificial Intelligence Act (referred to as the "AI Act") on March 13, making it the world's first comprehensive regulation on AI. The European Parliament stated that the act aims to protect fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability from the impact of high-risk AI while promoting innovation to make Europe "a leader in this field."

The act will prohibit certain AI applications that "threaten citizens' rights," including biometric categorization systems based on sensitive characteristics, as well as indiscriminately scraping facial images from the internet or closed-circuit television footage to create facial recognition databases. AI that manipulates human behavior or exploits human vulnerabilities will also be banned.

This legislation also faces concerns from different sides. Some companies believe the act's provisions are too strict, which could limit technological development and innovation, while digital regulatory agencies believe these provisions are not stringent enough to fully address the various risks and challenges that AI development may bring. Some civil society organizations in Europe are also concerned about the growing influence of large AI tech companies.

Starting from the end of 2022, when OpenAI's large language model ChatGPT was officially released, it led the global "large model craze" in 2023. Relying on a large model, big data and massive computing power, with the launch of ChatGPT 4.0 in March 2023, the performance and functionality of large models were further enhanced. From translation and article writing to coding, ChatGPT's performance in many professional tests is now on par with humans.

Then, in early 2024, OpenAI threw another AI bombshell at the world – the video generation model Sora. OpenAI believes that Sora lays the foundation for models that can understand and simulate the real world, which will be an important milestone in achieving AGI (Artificial General Intelligence).

However, this model has caused such a sensation not just because the AI-generated videos are longer and more vivid, but because OpenAI has surpassed the capabilities of all previous AIGC and generated video content related to the real physical world.

From text (ChatGPT) to images (DALL·E) to video (Sora), AIGC applications cover AI chatbots, AI painting, AI music, AI videos, and more. As a series of AIGC models emerge one after another, AI will profoundly impact various areas of human society, bringing disruptive effects on modern life.

Generative AI has brought about the "singularity moment" of artificial intelligence technology, as well as the "critical moment" for AI governance. Issues such as the accuracy, reliability, and responsibility of generated content, personal information protection, and intellectual property recognition need to be addressed. Accelerating legislation in the field of generative AI is not only a practical need to prevent risks associated with generative AI services but also a long-term need to promote the healthy development of generative AI.

AI is a double-edged sword: While promoting social progress, it also brings risks and challenges. As AI develops and becomes more prevalent, the regulation and standardization of AI will become a global issue. The EU has been at the forefront of the international community in promoting the positive development of AI.

The EU's approach to establishing AI rules is legislation first. Over the past few years, it has gradually improved its legal framework. At the same time, the European AI Act divides AI systems into four risk levels with corresponding regulatory measures.

By providing clear rules and standards, the AI Act offers a clear legal framework for AI innovation within the EU and globally. With this act as a backing, companies will not only be able to accurately assess their AI projects but will also become bolder in innovation under legal protection, investing more resources. At the same time, the act's enactment helps protect individuals' privacy and data rights, preventing the potential risks and abuses that AI technology misuse may bring. Establishing unified AI regulations also helps reduce legal and regulatory risks for companies during the digital transformation process, enhancing their confidence and willingness to adopt AI technologies.

However, there are still challenges to be faced. While ensuring innovation and development, a balance must be struck between technological advancement and regulation to avoid overly stringent regulations that impede innovation. Although the EU's AI Act is an important initiative, its ultimate implementation, the establishment of regulatory bodies, and the degree of enforcement will still require close attention and effort in the future. At the international level, strengthening international cooperation and coordination to formulate global AI governance standards and mechanisms also is an important future deployment.

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