New EU rules on AI face criticism: Will become a hindrance for European companies
New EU rules are intended to make it clear when images, video, and audio are created with AI. But the rules could hit European companies harder than American tech giants, according to an expert.
New AI law could become a hindrance for European companies, says tech correspondent. (Photo: © Isabel Infantes, Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix) 7 minutes ago
An image can look real. A video can seem credible. And a voice can sound completely right, even though it is all created with artificial intelligence.
Therefore, all realistic AI-generated content must in the future be clearly marked as AI, so users know what they are seeing, hearing, or reading.
This is part of the new EU rules that came into force yesterday in the EU's AI regulation, the so-called AI Act.
Read also: New AI rules come into force today
According to the EU, the rules affect both those who provide AI systems and those who use the systems in contact with customers.
And if you violate the rules, you can face fines of up to 112 million Danish kroner or three percent of a company's turnover.
But even though the rules will likely reduce manipulation with AI, they can also become a hindrance for European companies in competition with American companies.
This is the view of Peter Christian Bech-Nielsen, editorial director at the media Radar and tech correspondent at Ingeniøren.
- We know that the American tech companies tend to only live up to the absolute minimum and often also disregard fundamental parts of the rules, while there is a greater chance that smaller European companies will follow them to the letter, he tells P1 Morgen.
Editorial director at Radar and tech correspondent at Ingeniøren Peter Christian Bech-Nielsen fears that the new AI rules from the EU will work against European companies. (Photo: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix)
Therefore, the bill could result in higher costs for European companies, the editorial director explains.
- There are good intentions behind this law, but there is also bureaucracy and time that will be spent on ensuring things are done according to the rules. And if you then have some American companies that disregard it, that is something that can create more hassle and higher costs for European companies.
Read also: EU tries to regulate artificial intelligence but overlooks the fundamental problems
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Danish MEP is not concerned about European companies
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MEP for the Social Democrats Christel Schaldemose has voted in favor of the new EU rules.
She does not expect the rules to make life harder for European companies, she explains to P1 Morgen.
- There is no doubt that some of the big tech giants from the US are dragging their feet. They don't always want to participate. But what we can see with the other rules we have is that we are good at monitoring them. And when they don't comply with the rules, they get fines.
MEP for the Social Democrats Christel Schaldemose is not concerned about European companies after the new EU rules. (Photo: © Thomas Sjørup, Ritzau Scanpix)
Christel Schaldemose also acknowledges that the EU often creates bureaucracy that is troublesome for companies, but not this time.
- On the contrary, I think the rules are important, because if they are implemented properly, it will mean that citizens can have trust in what they encounter online.
You can listen to the entire segment on P1 Morgen here:
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