Executives from major technology companies warn that Europe's newly-proposed AI legislation may hamper innovation.
After approving the EU's AI act this week, tech executives assembled at VivaTech in Paris to discuss the future of artificial intelligence (AI) use. This groundbreaking law will significantly change how organizations in Europe employ AI, prohibiting uses deemed unacceptable, such as social scoring.
Apart from banning specific applications, the regulation introduces new disclosure requirements for larger AI companies and heightens transparency around high-risk AI uses, including education and hiring.
Meta's AI chief, Yann LeCun, pondered over whether AI research and development should be regulated. He expressed skepticism about the idea, stating that some parts of the EU AI act regulate research. "I don't believe it's a good idea," LeCun noted during a chat with CNN's Anna Stewart.
Disagreeing with fears that AI will soon outmatch human intelligence, LeCun expressed doubt about its threat level. "I don't think it's anywhere close," he said. "I don't think it's that dangerous, frankly, unless today."
Meta's AI chief envisions that AI might become smarter over time, but these systems will nearly always have built-in safeguards. Comparing AI to jet transport in 1925, LeCun stressed the need for innovation in the field.
Amazon's CTO, Werner Vogels, shared the same sentiment regarding the potential stifling of AI innovation. He suggested that regulators analyze market applications differently, such as AI in healthcare and financial services. "There's a whole range of areas where I think the risks are minimal and we should let innovation run there," Vogels told Stewart. "In other areas, where mistakes can affect people's lives more severely, risks should be managed uniquely for that particular area."
Concerned about overregulation, Vogels invoked the example of GDPR, Europe's renowned data privacy law. "Let's ensure that regulatory requirements are implementable by not only large corporations but also smaller companies comprising the European business landscape," he said.
Vogels emphasized the importance of fostering continual innovation inside Europe: "We've had a long history in Europe of underinvesting in R&D," he concluded.
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The EU's AI act has raised concerns among tech executives, as it could potentially hamper the innovation in the tech business sector by introducing new regulations and disclosure requirements for larger AI companies. Despite these regulations, Amazon's CTO, Werner Vogels, believes that there are areas where AI innovation should be allowed to run without excessive regulation, such as in healthcare and financial services.
Source: edition.cnn.com
