Government and industry leaders looked to balance tensions between innovation and safety, as the EU touted the AI Act on a global scale
From existential risk to risk-based approaches
On 8 November 2023, ForumEurope and Euronews co-hosted an International AI Summit on Advancing AI Governance. One week on from the inaugural AI Safety Summit in the UK, leaders from government, industry and civil society gathered again, this time to consider Europe’s role in the policy debate. With most conversations centred on the pending AI Act, participants moved on from the potential catastrophic threats discussed at Bletchley Park to focus instead on the regulation needed to balance the more immediate and measured risks of AI (today and in the near future) against the desire to drive innovation and growth. Despite a Eurocentric agenda, conversation returned repeatedly to the notion that “AI doesn’t respect borders” as the influence of technology superpowers like the US and China loomed large over proceedings.
Bringing tech innovation and investment to Europe
Offering the view from one of Europe’s leading technology economies, Simon Coveney (Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ireland) stressed the importance of not continuing to allow “technology leakage” out of the EU. Reflecting on the growth of US technology firms within Ireland, he acknowledged that the bloc “has not been good at building technologies of the future” even as he noted that AI is really an “evolving technology of the present”. Industry representatives echoed this urgency to foster local innovation to ensure that Europe is not left without homegrown AI leaders. Bob Kimball (Vice President and Associate General Counsel, AWS) stressed that regulatory clarity will be key to attracting further investment in Europe, especially for smaller AI companies looking to take on established technology firms. Jean-Marc Leclerc (Director of EU Affairs, Government and Regulatory Affairs, IBM) echoed these concerns for bolstering European competition in AI by avoiding a “regulatory moat” created by the complexity of the AI Act. Those calling for a more hands-off outlook were met with some resistance, however. Gemma Galdón Clavell (CEO, Eticas Tech) argued that the AI products on the market are not delivering the quality of service they’ve advertised to consumers, and that regulation is the way to ensure they better meet the needs and expectations of users.
Engaging on AI beyond regional borders
Both the industry and regulatory leadership of the US and China in AI dominated segments of the conference. Participants applauded the inclusion of China in conversations on global AI governance, including at the UK-led summit. Nadia Calviño (Deputy Prime Minister, Spain) called for continued work to engage across national and regional alliances: “We have to ensure we keep bringing forward initiatives where all the world’s superpowers can see eye to eye”. Panellists also repeatedly compared the EU’s AI Act to the AI Executive Order in the US. MEPs Eva Maydell and Dragoș Tudorache both touted the legislative leadership of the EU while assuring industry of the fundamental harmonies that the AI Act has with US efforts. That compatibility between regimes answered the goal suggested by Jeremy Rollison (Head of EU Policy, European Government Affairs, Microsoft Europe) to see an interoperability between regulatory frameworks that can also support interoperability between the technologies they oversee. This repeated desire for global collaboration could best be summarised by Marjorie Buchser (Executive Director, Digital Society Initiative, Chatham House) who framed the contemporary discussion of AI regulation as answering the question: “How do we regulate AI together?”
What’s next for the AI Act?
With much attention paid to the inter-institutional negotiations currently underway, Commissioner Věra Jourová offered some clarity on what remains under consideration, including new drafting on generative AI, prohibitions on biometric technologies, and enforcement and implementation structures. Our research details many of the key legislative details confirmed at the outset of the trilogue stage. Industry representatives also expressed their near-term worries about preparing for compliance as the legislation nears completion, with Corinna Schulze (Director, EU Government Affairs, SAP) reminding attendees of additional compliance requirements under the GDPR and other EU regulation that firms are already contending with. As the EU looks to solidify its claim to the first “hard law” governing AI, conference panellists and attendees were left to consider whether the ‘Brussels effect’ will retain any purchase as other regulators look to respond to public and political pressures, and as AI technologies continue to evolve at pace.
