EU countries, lawmakers clinch provisional deal on watered-down AI rules
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The tentative agreement needs to be formally endorsed by EU governments and the European Parliament in the coming months.
PHOTO: REUTERS
BRUSSELS - EU countries and European Parliament lawmakers on May 7 agreed to watered-down landmark artificial intelligence rules, including delaying their implementation, in a move which critics say shows Europe caving to Big Tech.
The tentative agreement, which needs to be formally endorsed by EU governments and the European Parliament in the coming months, came after nine hours of negotiations.
“Today’s agreement on the AI Act significantly supports our companies by reducing recurring administrative costs,” Ms Marilena Raouna, Cyprus’ Deputy Minister for European Affairs, said in a statement. Cyprus currently holds the rotating EU Council presidency.
The changes to the AI Act, which entered into force in August 2024 with key elements to be enforced in stages, are part of the European Commission’s push to simplify a slew of new digital rules.
The simplification drive came after businesses complained about overlapping regulations and red tape that hamper their ability to compete with US and Asian rivals.
EU governments and lawmakers agreed to delay rules on high-risk AI systems – such as those involving biometrics or related to critical infrastructure and law enforcement – to Dec 2, 2027, from a previous deadline of Aug 2.
They also agreed to exclude machinery from the AI Act as it is already subject to sectoral rules, ceding to pressure from businesses.
There was also agreement on a ban on AI practices that create unauthorised sexually explicit images, a move responding to such content generated by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s xAI chatbot Grok on social media platform X and sexually intimate deepfakes produced by Grok.
The ban will apply from Dec 2.
Dutch lawmaker Kim van Sparrentak said: “By the end of this year, everyone, but especially women and girls, will be safe from horrific nudifier apps being widely available on the EU market. Today, we put a clear end to this kind of violence against people and children.”
Mandatory watermarking of AI-generated output will apply from Dec 2.
The AI rules, which were triggered by concerns about the impact of the technology on children, workers, companies and cybersecurity, are still considered the strictest in the world, even after the changes. REUTERS
