On 21 April 2021, the European Commission (EC) released a regulatory framework to govern the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in European Union member states. The proposed rules, which are potentially several years away from formal adoption, are referred to in short form as the Artificial Intelligence Act and are now under consideration by the EU’s co-legislators, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
The proposed legislation is a central feature in the bloc’s wide-ranging efforts to modernise its rulebook for the digital age. The fact that the EC has written a comprehensive policy on artificial intelligence before either China or the US, where most global AI research and development is occurring, suggests that it is attempting to influence the development of the technology by leveraging its regulatory expertise and the market power of member states. The EU is approaching the issue in a different manner than the US, which treats it in piecemeal fashion by deferring to several independent regulatory agencies, such as those responsible for finance, education or consumer goods, leaving the task of scrutinising products that use artificial intelligence within their competencies. In June 2021, Brussels and Washington announced the creation of a new forum, the EU–US Trade and Technology Council, to coordinate their positions on several issues, including artificial intelligence.
