This week, the European Commission
inaugurated its new artificial intelligence (AI) office, intended to shape
policy for the bloc while also serving as a "global reference point," as stated by officials.
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| European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the conclusions of the Dec. 14-15, 2023 European Council and preparations for the extraordinary European Council scheduled for Feb. 1, 2024, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Jan. 17, 2024. (Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images) |
According to a statement on the commission's website, the European AI Office will support the development and use of trustworthy AI while safeguarding against AI risks. It was established within the European Commission to serve as the hub of AI expertise and lays the groundwork for a unified European AI governance system.
"The AI Office will also foster an innovative ecosystem of trustworthy
AI to harness societal and economic benefits," the committee stated.
"It will ensure a strategic,
coherent, and effective European approach to AI on the global stage, becoming a
global reference point."
The Commission unveiled its AI
strategy package in April 2021 with the goal of transforming the European Union
(EU) into a "world-class hub for AI"
and ensuring that AI is human-centric and trustworthy.
The new office will primarily focus on coordinating policy among its member states and supporting their respective governance bodies, in line with the Bletchley Park agreement signed last year during the world's first AI safety summit.
The Bletchley Declaration, signed
by 28 countries, including the United States, China, and the United Kingdom,
emphasizes two main objectives: identifying AI safety risks and "developing respective risk-based policies
across our countries to ensure safety in light of such risks."
Safety in the development and use
of AI has been a central issue for debate and policy since the public first
recognized the potential of the technology to transform various aspects of
society.
The European Commission launched an
AI innovation package, including the GenAI4EU initiative, to support startups
and small and midsize enterprises in developing AI projects that adhere to EU
values and rules.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in a State of the Union address a new initiative to make Europe’s supercomputers available to innovative European AI startups. Additionally, a competition was launched with a prize of €250,000 (roughly $273,500) for companies that develop new AI models under an open-source license for non-commercial use or must publish research findings.
Competing to lead in AI involves
more than just staying at the cutting edge of tech development. AI safety
policy has become a competitive area for nations striving to establish
themselves as leaders in the industry.
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| Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, looks up during a press conference after a board meeting of the Christian Democratic Union in Berlin on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. Von der Leyen announced her intention to run for a second term as EU commission president. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) |
Following the safety summit, the U.S. established the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute under the National Institute of Standards of Technology. Its goal is to facilitate the development of standards for safety, security, and testing of AI models, among other tasks.
In a similar move, Europe has
released the EU AI Act, hailed as the world’s first comprehensive law on AI.
The European Parliament emphasized the importance of AI being safe,
transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory, and environmentally friendly. They
also highlighted the need for AI systems to be overseen by people, rather than
by automation, to prevent harmful outcomes.
The AI Office will collaborate with
various institutions, experts, and stakeholders to fulfill its objectives. This
includes working with an independent panel of scientific experts to ensure
strong connections to the scientific community.
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