EU may not pass AI law in 2023

A long-awaited EU law on artificial intelligence is still under discussion as European lawmakers can’t agree on how to regulate the underlying models, and it is unlikely to be passed before December. As first reported by Reuters, Spain, which currently leads the EU, is pushing for more regular vulnerability checks and a tiered system of regulation depending on the number of users of the model.

Spain, which currently leads the EU, is pushing for more regular vulnerability checks and a tiered system of regulation depending on the number of users of the model.

European lawmakers have held three trilogues (a tripartite discussion between the European Parliament, the EU Council and the European Commission) around the AI law, and a fourth is expected to take place this week. Another meeting is scheduled for December if neither side comes to an agreement this month. That has raised fears that any decision on the law could be postponed until next year. European lawmakers had hoped to pass an AI law by the end of the year.

Artificial intelligence law has been the subject of much debate.

One draft EU AI law proposes requiring developers of basic models to assess potential risks, subject models to testing throughout the development process and after market release, examine training data bias, validate data, and publish technical documentation before release. Some open source companies are urging the EU to include smaller companies in the discussion. They argue that some developers may find it difficult to comply with the rules, so a distinction needs to be made between commercial foundation models and hobbyists and researchers.

Some of the EU’s open source companies are calling for the EU to consider the interests of small companies.

Many government officials, including in the U.S., point to the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act as a potential role model for developing regulations around generative AI. But while the EU was one of the first regions to discuss the proposed legislation, it is moving more slowly than some other international players — for example, China, which introduced its rules in August this year.

The EU has been one of the first regions to discuss the proposed legislation.