How Proposed AI laws have significant implications for research and development in AI

An AI generated image of a gavel and law books

Promotion of Open Science and Innovation

  • The laws could encourage open science by setting standards for transparency and accountability [2]. 
  • They could also stimulate innovation by creating a clear regulatory framework within which AI developers can operate [2]. 

Impact on High-Risk AI Applications

  • Companies developing AI applications considered to pose a “high risk” to fundamental rights, such as those meant to be used in sectors like education, health care, and policing, will have to meet new EU standards [3]. 

Exemption for Research and Development

  • The European Parliament added a clause to the draft act that would exempt AI models developed purely for research, development, or prototyping [2]. This could ensure that the act does not negatively affect research [2]. 

Challenges for General-Purpose AI Models

  • The EU AI Act strictly regulates general-purpose models, which have broad and unpredictable uses [2]. This could pose challenges for the development and deployment of such models [2]. 

Potential Stifling of Innovation

  • Some researchers worry that the laws could stifle innovation by imposing stringent regulations on AI development [2]. 

Addressing Concentration of Power

  • The laws address the concentration of power among private corporations in AI development and the associated risks to individual rights and the rule of law [4]. 

These impacts could shape the future of AI research and development, influencing how AI technologies are developed, used, and regulated. However, the exact impact of these laws will depend on their final form and how they are implemented in practice [1] [2] [3] [4]. It is important to note that the status of these laws may have changed after my last update in 2021, and you should check the latest sources for the most current information. 

Sources:  

  1. What the EU’s tough AI law means for research and ChatGPT – Nature 
  2. What’s next for AI regulation in 2024? | MIT Technology Review 
  3. Law and the Governance of Artificial Intelligence | SpringerLink 
  4. Artificial Intelligence: Overview, Recent Advances, and Considerations … 
  5. https://crsreports.congress.gov