Reuters reported last week provided an update on the latest steps that have been taken by governments and international bodies to regulate artificial intelligence.
According to Reuters, the Australian government is consulting with its main science advisory group to consider regulations on artificial intelligence.
In the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority is consulting with legal and academic institutions, including the Alan Turing Institute, to better understand artificial intelligence technology. Meanwhile, in May, the UK’s competition regulator announced that it would begin examining the impact of artificial intelligence on businesses, consumers, and the economy to determine if new regulations are needed.
Last month, the European Union agreed to changes to a draft of the EU’s AI Act. The details of the act will be thrashed out by member countries before arriving at legislation. At issue is artificial intelligence in biometric surveillance and facial recognition, with some EU lawmakers wanting a total ban while EU member countries are calling for an exception for defense, the military, and national security.
In March, the French National Assembly approved the use of artificial intelligence surveillance video during the 2024 Paris Olympics despite objections from civil rights groups.
In April, the CNIL, France’s privacy watchdog, revealed that it was investigating complaints about Microsoft’s ChatGPT after Italy temporarily banned it for a suspected breach of its privacy rules.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner said in April that generative AI like ChatGPT would need to be regulated, but said that the government must figure out how to do it before enacting prohibitions that will not “stand up.”
Last month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres threw his support behind a proposal by some in the artificial intelligence industry to create an international AI watchdog similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, Guterres said that such an agency could only be created by member states and not by the Secretariat of the UN.
President Joe Biden said last month that he would seek the advice of experts on the risks artificial intelligence may pose to the economy and US national security.
