The European Union Artificial Intelligence （AI） Act is now in force, setting a landmark regulation for AI. The Act classifies AI use cases based on risk and outlines compliance timelines and penalties.
Points
- EU AI Act now in effect.
- Classification of AI use cases by risk.
- Compliance timelines for high-risk AI applications.
- Penalties for violations.
The European Union Artificial Intelligence （AI） Act has officially come into force, five months after being passed by the EU parliament. This landmark regulation aims to set the pace for AI governance globally by classifying AI use cases based on their risk levels and detailing compliance timelines and penalties for each category.
AI Use Case Classification and Compliance
The Act adopts a risk-based classification system, dividing AI applications into four categories: no-risk, minimal risk, high risk, and prohibited. The rules that apply to each AI company will depend on the category their AI systems fall into. High-risk AI systems, such as those used for facial recognition, biometrics, critical public services, education, employment, and medical software, will have six months from August 1 to comply with the strict regulations.
These high-risk applications must present training datasets to regulators for audits, provide proof of human oversight, and conduct pre-market conformity tests. AI systems used by government agencies or for public service must also be registered in the EU database.
Generative AI with Minimal Restrictions
For developers of generative AI systems, the Act classifies most of these models as general-purpose AIs （GPAIs） and labels them as minimal risk. This classification means that top AI chatbots like MetaAI, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude AI will not be significantly affected. However, they are required to maintain higher transparency through disclosures of their training data and comply with EU copyright rules.
https://twitter.com/Europarl_EN/status/1818296645783382016
Penalties for Non-Compliance
The Act sets out stringent penalties to deter violations, with fines ranging from 7% of global annual turnover for prohibited AI systems to 1.5% for providing incorrect information to regulators. Countries within the EU have until August 2025 to establish bodies to implement the Act.
###解説
- The implementation of the EU AI Act marks a significant step in regulating artificial intelligence. By classifying AI use cases based on risk and setting clear compliance timelines, the Act aims to ensure responsible AI development and deployment.
- High-risk AI applications face stringent requirements, including dataset audits, human oversight, and pre-market tests, which aim to enhance transparency and safety. This reflects the EU’s commitment to safeguarding public interest and mitigating potential risks associated with AI.
- Generative AI systems, although classified as minimal risk, must still adhere to transparency and copyright rules, ensuring accountability in AI development. The penalties for non-compliance underscore the importance of adhering to regulatory standards and maintaining ethical AI practices.
- The EU AI Act could serve as a model for other countries looking to regulate AI, setting a precedent for global AI governance. The establishment of implementation bodies by August 2025 will be crucial in enforcing these regulations and ensuring their effectiveness.