On February 7, 2025, the OECD launched a voluntary framework for companies to report on their efforts to promote safe, secure and trustworthy AI. This global reporting framework is intended to monitor and support the application of the International Code of Conduct for Organisations Developing Advanced AI Systems delivered by the 2023 G7 Hiroshima AI Process (“HAIP Code of Conduct”).* Organizations can choose to comply with the HAIP Code of Conduct and participate in the HAIP reporting framework on a voluntary basis. This reporting framework will allow participating organizations that comply with the HAIP Code of Conduct to showcase the efforts they have made towards ensuring responsible AI practices – in a way that is standardized and comparable with other companies.Continue Reading OECD Launches Voluntary Reporting Framework on AI Risk Management Practices
EU Artificial Intelligence Act: Nearing the Finish Line
On December 9, 2023, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission reached a political agreement on the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (“AI Act”) (see here for the Parliament’s press statement, here for the Council’s statement, and here for the Commission’s statement). Following three days of intense negotiations, during the fifth “trilogue” discussions amongst the EU institutions, negotiators reached an agreement on key topics, including: (i) the scope of the AI Act; (ii) AI systems classified as “high-risk” under the Act; and (iii) law enforcement exemptions.
As described in our previous blog posts on the AI Act (see here, here, and here), the Act will establish a comprehensive and horizontal law governing the development, import, deployment and use of AI systems in the EU. In this blog post, we provide a high-level summary of the main points EU legislators appear to have agreed upon, based on the press releases linked above and a further Q&A published by the Commission. However, the text of the political agreement is not yet publicly available. Further, although a political agreement has been reached, a number of details remain to be finalized in follow-up technical working meetings over the coming weeks.Continue Reading EU Artificial Intelligence Act: Nearing the Finish Line
From Washington to Brussels: A Comparative Look at the Biden Administration’s Executive Order and the EU’s AI Act
On October 30, 2023, days ahead of government leaders convening in the UK for an international AI Safety Summit, the White House issued an Executive Order (“EO”) outlining an expansive strategy to support the development and deployment of safe and secure AI technologies (for further details on the EO, see our blog here). As readers will be aware, the European Commission released its proposed Regulation Laying Down Harmonized Rules on Artificial Intelligence (the EU “AI Act”) in 2021 (see our blog here). EU lawmakers are currently negotiating changes to the Commission text, with hopes of finalizing the text by the end of this year, although many of its obligations would only begin to apply to regulated entities in 2026 or later.
The EO and the AI Act stand as two important developments shaping the future of global AI governance and regulation. This blog post discusses key similarities and differences between the two.Continue Reading From Washington to Brussels: A Comparative Look at the Biden Administration’s Executive Order and the EU’s AI Act
G7 Countries Publish Draft Guiding Principles for Advanced AI Development
On 13 October 2023, members of the G7 released a set of draft guiding principles (“Principles”) for organisations developing advanced AI systems, including generative AI and foundational models.
In parallel, the European Commission launched a stakeholder survey (“Survey”) on the Principles, inviting any interested parties to comment by 20 October 2023. After the Survey is complete, G7 members intend to compile a voluntary code of conduct that will provide guidance for AI developers. The Principles and voluntary code of conduct will complement the legally binding rules that EU co-legislators are currently finalizing under the EU AI Act (for further details on the AI Act, see our blog post here).
The Principles build on the existing OECD AI principles published in May 2019 (see our blog post here) in response to recent developments in advanced AI systems. They would apply to all participants in the AI value chain, including those responsible for the design, development, deployment, and use of AI systems.Continue Reading G7 Countries Publish Draft Guiding Principles for Advanced AI Development
UK Parliament Publishes Interim Report on the UK’s AI Governance Proposals
On 31 August 2023, the UK’s House of Commons Innovation and Technology Committee (“Committee”) published an interim report (“Report”) evaluating the UK Government’s AI governance proposals and examining different approaches to the regulation of AI systems. As readers of this blog will be aware, in March 2023, the UK Government published a White Paper setting out its “pro-innovation approach to AI regulation” which will require existing regulators to take responsibility for promoting and overseeing responsible AI within their sectors (for further information on the UK Government’s strategy, see our blog post here).
The Report recommends that the UK Government introduce a “tightly-focused AI Bill” in the next parliamentary session to “position the UK as an AI governance leader”.Continue Reading UK Parliament Publishes Interim Report on the UK’s AI Governance Proposals
UK and G7 Privacy Authorities Warn of Privacy Risks Raised by Generative AI
On 21 June 2023, at the close of a roundtable meeting of the G7 Data Protection and Privacy Authorities, regulators from the United States, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Canada and Japan published a joint “Statement on Generative AI” (“Statement”) (available here). In the Statement, regulators identify a range of data protection-related concerns they believe are raised by generative AI tools, including legal authority for processing personal information, and transparency, explainability, and security. The group of regulators also call on companies to “embed privacy in the design conception, operation, and management” of generative AI tools.
In advance of the G7 meeting, on 15 June 2023, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) separately announced that it will be “checking” whether businesses have addressed privacy risks before deploying generative AI, and “taking action where there is risk of harm to people through poor use of their data”.Continue Reading UK and G7 Privacy Authorities Warn of Privacy Risks Raised by Generative AI
DOJ, FTC, CFPB, and EEOC Statement on Discrimination and AI
On April 25, 2023, four federal agencies — the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) — released a joint statement on the agencies’ efforts to address discrimination and bias in automated systems. Continue Reading DOJ, FTC, CFPB, and EEOC Statement on Discrimination and AI
CPUC Issues First Autonomous Vehicle Drivered Deployment Permits
A recent AAA study revealed that, although the pandemic has resulted in fewer cars on the road, traffic deaths have surged. Speeding, alcohol-impairment, and reckless driving has caused the highest levels of crashes seen in decades, and the National Safety Council estimates a 9% increase in roadway fatalities from 2020. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to increase traffic safety, and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) just took a step to advance their commercialization and deployment.
Continue Reading CPUC Issues First Autonomous Vehicle Drivered Deployment Permits
EMEA IoT & CAV Legislative and Regulatory Roundup 2021 and Forecast 2022
In 2021, European lawmakers and agencies issued a number of proposals to regulate artificial intelligence (“AI”), the Internet of Things (“IoT”), connected and automated vehicles (“CAV”), and data privacy, as well as reports and funding programs to pursue the developments in these emerging areas. From the adoption of more stringent cybersecurity standards for IoT devices
Continue Reading EMEA IoT & CAV Legislative and Regulatory Roundup 2021 and Forecast 2022
AI Update: The European Commission publishes a proposal for a Regulation on European Data Governance (the Data Governance Act)
On 25 November 2020, the European Commission published a proposal for a Regulation on European Data Governance (“Data Governance Act”). The proposed Act aims to facilitate data sharing across the EU and between sectors, and is one of the deliverables included in the European Strategy for Data, adopted in February 2020. (See our previous blog here for a summary of the Commission’s European Strategy for Data.) The press release accompanying the proposed Act states that more specific proposals on European data spaces are expected to follow in 2021, and will be complemented by a Data Act to foster business-to-business and business-to-government data sharing.
The proposed Data Governance Act sets out rules relating to the following:
- Conditions for reuse of public sector data that is subject to existing protections, such as commercial confidentiality, intellectual property, or data protection;
- Obligations on “providers of data sharing services,” defined as entities that provide various types of data intermediary services;
- Introduction of the concept of “data altruism” and the possibility for organisations to register as a “Data Altruism Organisation recognised in the Union”; and
- Establishment of a “European Data Innovation Board,” a new formal expert group chaired by the Commission.