The European Parliament Embraces AI Act: Industry Applauds the Move
The European Parliament has officially endorsed the AI Act, with the measure receiving overwhelming support from MEPs. The IFPI and other stakeholders are expressing their support for this significant development.
EU lawmakers have given their approval to the AI Act with 523 votes in favor, 46 against, and 49 abstentions. This comprehensive legislation, which spans approximately 90,000 words, has undergone multiple revisions on its journey to approval. The AI Act aims to tackle various AI-related issues, including the compilation of facial recognition databases, the permissible use of real-time AI tools by law enforcement, defining high-risk AI applications, mandatory AI media labeling, and more.
One key area of focus within the AI Act is the safeguards concerning AI training. The contentious issue of utilizing copyrighted works to train large language models (LLMs) continues to be debated within the industry. Some major AI companies argue that using copyrighted content for training purposes falls under fair use.
However, the AI Act addresses this by requiring authorization from rightsholders for the use of copyright-protected content in training AI systems. It also mandates that providers of AI models disclose detailed information about the content used for training, giving creators the option to opt out of their works being used for training.
Despite the Parliament’s approval, the AI Act still needs to undergo a final review by lawyer-linguists and receive formal validation from the European Council. The law will come into effect 20 days after its publication in the EU’s official journal and will become fully enforceable 24 months later.
While the full implementation date approaches, certain practices – such as surveillance and facial recognition – will be prohibited six months after the law’s enactment. Codes of practice developed by the AI Office, covering obligations for providers of general-purpose AI models, will be enforced nine months post-enactment. Additionally, general-purpose AI rules and governance guidelines must be established within 12 months, followed by obligations for high-risk systems within 36 months.
Various industry organizations, including the IFPI, GESAC, ICMP, and IMPALA, are commending the European Parliament’s approval of the AI Act and focusing on the specifics of its implementation. They emphasize the significance of this legislative milestone and its implications for the industry.