Take a look around: almost everything surrounding you in this hyperconnected world is ruled by algorithms, from the product you just bought online to the loan you recently requested.
In the race to set the rules for machine learning, EU regulators have been working on making artificial intelligence “human-centric”, rather than the other way around.
On Wednesday, the European Commission will finally publish its highly anticipated legislative proposals on how to rule over AI — the first initiative of its kind in the bloc.
“Rules for AI . . . should therefore be human-centric, so that people can trust that the technology is used in a way that is safe and compliant with the law, including the respect of fundamental rights,” a leaked draft of the proposals said.
One thorny issue has been how to regulate facial recognition. Critics see the technology as very intrusive, with the capacity to undermine people’s fundamental rights, including the right to privacy.
Under the draft proposals, EU officials have narrowed the uses of facial recognition to a very narrow set of scenarios for law enforcement, such as when searching for a missing child. Find out more here.
The language of the proposals was fiercely fought over in Brussels in the days leading up to Wednesday’s presentation, said officials familiar with the discussions. Some thought the leeway for facial recognition went too far and threatened democratic rights, while others pushed for expanded use of the technology to help police catch criminals.
Beyond the vocal debate on facial recognition, regulators have also come down hard on companies that use biased algorithms, such as discriminating against ethnic minorities when hiring workers, for example.
Companies would face fines of up to 6 per cent of their global turnover if they were found to not be in compliance with the legislation.
But don’t hold your breath for the rules coming into force anytime soon. The draft proposals are set to be discussed in the European parliament and among member states. Concrete laws are expected in 2023 at the earliest.
Even before being formally announced, the proposals came under fire from activists and lawyers following the topic.
David Naylor, a technology specialist and head of Wiggin’s data privacy, information law and cyber security team, said the proposals “will put European AI businesses at a significant competitive disadvantage relative to competitors in less heavily regulated jurisdictions”.
“The scope and impact of this proposed regulation are not clear in many respects,” said John Buyers, head of AI at law firm Osborne Clarke. “We can expect significant lobbying on today’s proposals and the provisions are likely to shift and change as this draft makes its way through the legislative processes. This document has a long way to travel.”
Chart du jour: Green power
Germany’s disciplined Greens are polling ahead of Angela Merkel’s CDU/CSU, with some pundits projecting the eco party on track to win a national election for the first time in their 41-year history. The Forsa poll said 54 per cent of Germans supported Annalena Baerbock, the Green candidate to succeed Merkel as chancellor. Only 32 per cent felt that way about CDU leader Armin Laschet, who has emerged seriously bruised from a protracted leadership race against a Bavarian rival. Find out why here.
Planet Europe
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Russia’s first-ever green legislation has received the support of the State Duma. The bill will require large polluters to monitor their emissions levels so the state can set targets. Russia’s relations with western countries also continued to deteriorate, with more than 30 diplomats having been booted from the country, the latest from Bulgaria. (BBG, FT)
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Charles Michel has successfully brokered a deal between warring parliamentary parties in Georgia, with the EU council president announcing that “the political crisis is over” on his visit to Tbilisi on Tuesday. The country’s politicians have been at loggerheads for months over claims of a rigged election and the arrest of the opposition leader Nika Melia in February. The biggest opposition party has refused to sign the EU-brokered deal until Melia is released. (FT)
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Huawei has denied accusations that it had complete access to all calls made via leading Dutch telecoms company KPN. The denial came after Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant alleged that an unpublished report by consultancy firm Capgemini from 2010 said that Huawei was able to eavesdrop on any phone call in KPN’s network. (BBC)
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Denmark is in discussions with several other EU states to trade its stockpile of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines for BioNTech/Pfizer jabs after the country banned the use of the AstraZeneca shot last week. (Jyllands-Posten)
Coming up today
In addition to the AI regulatory proposals, the European Commission is due on Wednesday afternoon to publish its long-awaited classification system for sustainable finance — known as the taxonomy — after overcoming internal divisions over how to treat gas generated by fossil fuels.
Tomorrow will be our last Brussels Briefing. But don’t despair! We’re back on Monday in a new format and with a new name, Europe Express. We will continue to bring you all the scoops and insights from our Brussels bureau, plus daily dispatches from our correspondents in Paris, Rome, Berlin, Athens and other capitals about what is driving the European agenda.
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javier.espinoza@ft.com; @JavierespFT
madhumita.murgia@ft.com; @madhumita29
