The EU is poised to pass legislation aimed at regulating AI with the Council approving the artificially intelligence act.

Governments and lawmakers around the world are struggling to grasp the implications of AI and decide the best way of regulating and managing the risks it poses. The EU appears to be on the verge of passing the most comprehensive legislation yet, with the council green lighting the AI act.

The act takes a risk-based approach, imposing stricter rules the greater the danger. For example, low-risk AI systems would only be required to meet basic transparency obligations, while high-risk systems would be subject to much stricter rules. The highest-risk systems, such as cognitive behavioral manipulation and social scoring systems, would be banned altogether.

The new law aims to foster the development and uptake of safe and trustworthy AI systems across the EU’s single market by both private and public actors. At the same time, it aims to ensure respect of fundamental rights of EU citizens and stimulate investment and innovation on artificial intelligence in Europe. The AI act applies only to areas within EU law and provides exemptions such as for systems used exclusively for military and defence as well as for research purposes.

“The adoption of the AI act is a significant milestone for the European Union,” said Mathieu Michel, Belgian secretary of state for digitisation, administrative simplification, privacy protection, and the building regulation. “This landmark law, the first of its kind in the world, addresses a global technological challenge that also creates opportunities for our societies and economies. With the AI act, Europe emphasizes the importance of trust, transparency and accountability when dealing with new technologies while at the same time ensuring this fast-changing technology can flourish and boost European innovation.”

With the EU Council approving the act, the legislation will be signed by the presidents of the EU Parliament and the Council. It will then be published in the EU’s Official Journal, entering into force 20 days after publication. The act will go into effect two years after it enters into force.