Controversy at digital summit on AI
Different positions on the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) clashed at the German government's digital summit. While Federal Ministers Robert Habeck (Greens) and Volker Wissing (FDP) were firmly against restricting the basic technology, representatives of civil society called for strict legal framework conditions not only for specific AI applications, but also for the basic technology.
Matthias Spielkamp, co-founder and managing director of the non-governmental organization AlgorithmWatch, referred to a recent study of the responses of AI software robots to the recent state elections in Hesse and Bavaria. <The systems spit out a lot of nonsense." In this example, not only had the companies developed models that could have very negative effects, but the companies had already brought them onto the market. The self-regulation of basic technology proposed by the German government would not do justice to the challenges posed by AI.
Habeck, on the other hand, defended the German government's position of making a distinction between basic technology and specific AI applications. "Everything is susceptible to misuse. We can use electricity to kill people and build electric chairs, and we can use electricity to operate healthcare devices or make access to medicine and education easier and better."
Before you can commit a technology to upholding social values, you first have to have that technology, said Habeck. "We have to be careful that regulation does not restrict us so much that in the end only Elon Musk remains." The American tech billionaire founded his AI company xAI in July and recently presented his first AI program "Grok".
Carla Hustedt, Head of Digitalized Society at the Mercato Foundation, warned against too lax regulation: "We must not follow the Chinese or American path just because we are afraid of being left behind."
In the European Union, decisive negotiations on the new AI Act are currently underway between the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission. An agreement should be reached by the end of the year. Germany recently agreed on a joint position paper with France and Italy, which advocates regulation for AI applications. When it comes to basic technologies, the three largest EU states want to limit themselves to self-regulation of the industry.
At the Federal Government's digital summit, discussions also encompassed the role of the Federal Government in regulating information technology, particularly in relation to the Internet and telecommunications, and the impact of digital advances on society. For instance, Federal Minister Volker Wissing emphasized the importance of fostering a conducive environment for digital innovation. Moreover, the ongoing debates around the European Union's AI Act highlighted the need for harmonized regulations, ensuring balanced growth and responsible usage of digital technology across member states.
Source: www.dpa.com
