Strengthening EU Leadership with Responsible AI

This week (May 2024), the European Commission unveiled the AI Office.
Established within the commission itself, the new AI Office is designed to enable future development, deployment and use of AI in a way that fosters societal and economic benefits. It aims to balance innovation and risk mitigation and will play a key role in the upcoming implementation of the EU AI Act, the landmark legislation to govern AI.
The office will also work to foster research and innovation in trustworthy AI, as the commission hopes to position the European Union (EU) as a leader in international discussions concerning the technology.
Background: EU AI Act and responsible innovation
The European AI Office will be the centre of AI expertise across the EU. It aims to hold a key role in implementing the AI Act, particularly for general-purpose AI. As a world-first comprehensive legal framework on AI, the EU AI Act is set to guarantee the health, safety and fundamental rights of people.
As a whole, the EU seeks to ensure that AI is responsible, which is why the AI Office will foster the development of trustworthy AI for the goal of cooperation. The act itself seeks to offer legal certainty to businesses across the 27 EU Member States, which the new office will support.
“The AI Office will help us ensure a coherent implementation of the AI Act. Together with developers and a scientific community, the office will evaluate and test general purpose AI to ensure that AI serves us as humans and uphold our European values,” comments Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age.
Similarly, the AI Office will enforce the rules for general-purpose AI models. This is underpinned by the power of the AI Act, which includes the ability to conduct evaluations of general-purpose AI models, request information and apply sanctions where needed.
Ensuring a strategic, coherent and effective European approach on AI at the international level, the office seeks to become a global reference point. It will be grounded by its comprehensive insights and foster a culture of understanding and AI responsibility, as business and world leaders weigh up opportunities and risks.
The organisation will employ more than 140 members of staff, including technology specialists, administrative assistants, lawyers, policy specialists and economists. Lucilla Sioli, current Director for AI and Digital Industry within the European Commission, is expected to be at the helm.
Championing a clear European approach to AI
Ultimately, the EU AI Office aims to strengthen the use of responsible AI.
- Advancing actions and policies to reap the societal and economic benefits of AI across the EU
- Providing advice on best practices and access to real-world testing
- Encouraging innovative ecosystems of trustworthy AI to enhance the EU’s competitiveness and economic growth
- Aiding the Commission in leveraging transformative AI tools and reinforcing AI literacy
This decision comes at a time of widespread public concern about misused AI causing international threats, including malicious actors exploiting business data. With countries around the world continuing to debate AI regulation, business leaders are having to consider how new rules could impact their operations.
Under the new EU AI Act, businesses who do not comply with the AI legislation will receive penalties.
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