Governments race to regulate AI tools

Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT are complicating governments’ efforts to agree laws governing the use of the technology.

Here are the latest steps national and international governing bodies are taking to regulate AI tools:

AUSTRALIA

Australia will make search engines draft new codes to prevent the sharing of child sexual abuse material created by AI and the production of deepfake versions of the same material.

BRITAIN

More than 25 countries present at the first global AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, including the US and China, as well as the EU, on Nov. 1 signed a “Bletchley Declaration” saying countries needed to work together and establish a common approach on oversight.

Britain said at the summit it would triple to 300 million pounds ($364 million) its funding for the “AI Research Resource”, comprising two supercomputers which will support research into making advanced AI models safe.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Oct. 26 said Britain would set up the world’s first AI safety institute to “understand what each new model is capable of, exploring all the risks from social harms like bias and misinformation through to the most extreme risks”.

Britain’s data watchdog said on Oct. 10 it had issued Snap Inc’s (SNAP.N) Snapchat with a preliminary enforcement notice over a possible failure to properly assess the privacy risks of its generative AI chatbot to users, particularly children.

CHINA

Wu Zhaohui, China’s vice minister of science and technology, told the opening session of the AI Safety Summit in Britain on Nov. 1 that Beijing was ready to increase collaboration on AI safety to help build an international “governance framework”.

China published proposed security requirements for firms offering services powered by generative AI in October, including a blacklist of sources that cannot be used to train AI models.

The country issued a set of temporary measures in August, requiring service providers to submit security assessments and receive clearance before releasing mass-market AI products.

EUROPEAN UNION

European lawmakers agreed on Oct. 24 on a critical part of new AI rules outlining the types of systems that will be designated “high risk”, inching closer to a broader agreement on the landmark AI Act which is expected in December, according to five people familiar with the matter.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sept. 13 called for a global panel to assess the risks and benefits of AI.

FRANCE

France’s privacy watchdog said in April it was investigating complaints about ChatGPT.

G7

The Group of Seven countries agreed on Oct. 30 to an 11-point code of conduct for firms developing advanced AI systems, which “aims to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy AI worldwide”.

ITALY

Italy’s data protection authority plans to review AI platforms and hire experts in the field, a top official said in May. ChatGPT was temporarily banned in the country in March, but it was made available again in April.

JAPAN

Japan expects to introduce by the end of 2023 regulations that are likely closer to the US attitude than the stringent ones planned in the EU, an official close to deliberations said in July.

The country’s privacy watchdog has warned OpenAI not to collect sensitive data without people’s permission.

POLAND

Poland’s Personal Data Protection Office said in September it was investigating OpenAI over a complaint that ChatGPT breaks EU data protection laws.

SPAIN

Spain’s data protection agency in April launched a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches by ChatGPT.

UNITED NATIONS

The U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Oct. 26 announced the creation of a 39-member advisory body, composed of tech company executives, government officials and academics, to address issues in the international governance of AI.

The U.N. Security Council held its first formal discussion on AI in July, addressing military and non-military applications of AI that “could have very serious consequences for global peace and security”, Guterres said at the time.

US

The US will launch an AI safety institute to evaluate known and emerging risks of so-called “frontier” AI models, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said on Nov. 1 during the AI Safety Summit in Britain.

President Joe Biden issued a new executive order on Oct. 30 to require developers of AI systems that pose risks to US national security, the economy, public health or safety to share the results of safety tests with the government.

The US Congress in September held hearings on AI and an AI forum featuring Meta (META.O) CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. More than 60 senators took part in the talks, during which Musk called for a US “referee” for AI.

The US Federal Trade Commission opened in July an investigation into OpenAI on claims that it has run afoul of consumer protection laws.