Governments rush to regulate AI tools.

The Race to Regulate AI: Latest Developments

(Reuters) – Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT are complicating governments’ efforts to agree laws governing the use of the technology.

As AI technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, governments around the world are struggling to keep up with the need for regulations. Here are the latest developments:

Australia

• Seeking input on regulations

The Australian government is consulting with the country’s main science advisory body and considering next steps, according to a spokesperson for the industry and science minister.

Britain

• Planning regulations

The Financial Conduct Authority, one of several state regulators tasked with drawing up new guidelines covering AI, is consulting with the Alan Turing Institute and other legal and academic institutions to improve its understanding of the technology. Britain’s competition regulator is also examining the impact of AI on consumers, businesses, and the economy.

China

• Planning regulations

China’s cyberspace regulator has unveiled draft measures to manage generative AI services, requiring firms to submit security assessments to authorities before launching offerings to the public. Beijing is also supporting leading enterprises in building AI models that can challenge ChatGPT.

European Union

• Planning regulations

EU tech chief Margrethe Vestager has called on the AI industry to adopt a voluntary code of conduct within months to provide safeguards while new laws are developed. Key EU lawmakers have agreed on tougher draft rules to rein in generative AI and proposed a ban on facial surveillance. The European Parliament will vote on the draft of the EU’s AI Act in June.

France

• Investigating possible breaches

France’s privacy watchdog CNIL is investigating several complaints about ChatGPT after the chatbox was temporarily banned in Italy over a suspected breach of privacy rules. France’s National Assembly has approved the use of AI video surveillance during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

G7

• Seeking input on regulations

Group of Seven leaders have acknowledged the need for governance of AI and immersive technologies and agreed to have ministers discuss the technology as the “Hiroshima AI process” and report results by the end of 2023. G7 nations should adopt “risk-based” regulation on AI, G7 digital ministers said after a meeting in April in Japan.

Ireland

• Seeking input on regulations

Ireland’s data protection chief has called for regulation of generative AI, but governing bodies must work out how to do so properly before rushing into prohibitions that “really aren’t going to stand up”.

Italy

• Investigating possible breaches

Italy’s data protection authority Garante plans to review other artificial intelligence platforms and hire AI experts. ChatGPT became available again to users in Italy in April after being temporarily banned over concerns by the national data protection authority in March.

Spain

• Investigating possible breaches

Spain’s data protection agency is launching a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches by ChatGPT and has asked the EU’s privacy watchdog to evaluate privacy concerns surrounding the technology.

U.S.

• Seeking input on regulations

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is committed to using existing laws to keep in check some of the dangers of AI, such as enhancing the power of dominant firms and “turbocharging” fraud. Senator Michael Bennet has introduced a bill to create a task force to look at U.S. policies on AI, and the Biden administration is seeking public comments on potential accountability measures for AI systems.

As governments around the world race to regulate AI, it’s clear that the technology is advancing faster than the laws that govern it. Stay tuned for more updates on this rapidly evolving field.

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