US, UK, EU sign first global AI treaty
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The news: The first legally binding international treaty on artificial intelligence was signed by the US, UK and the EU on Thursday, the Council of Europe-led AI Convention said.
It mandates that signatories take responsibility for any harmful or discriminatory effects caused by AI systems. It also requires their outputs to uphold equality and privacy rights, providing legal recourse for those affected by AI-related rights violations.
The numbers: Developed by 57 countries, the open treaty was signed by 10 participants and is now open for signing by any nation.
It follows years of negotiations, culminating in the adoption of the treaty in May, with the support of others like Israel, Australia, and Japan, seeing it as a step towards global AI regulation.
The context: The AI treaty joins a growing list of regional agreements aimed at addressing the rapid development and impact of AI, including the EU’s AI Act, which came into force last month and the Bletchley Declaration, signed by 28 countries including the US and China.
What they said: Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe said: "There is no doubt that artificial intelligence has the potential to dramatically improve certain aspects of our lives. However, the risks associated with this technology cannot simply be ignored. We must ensure that the rise of AI meets our standards – rather than weakening them.”
But others voiced concerns over the treaty's broad principles and limited enforcement approach.
"The formulation of principles and obligations in this convention is so overbroad and fraught with caveats that it raises serious questions about their legal certainty and effective enforceability," Francesca Fanucci, a legal expert at ECNL (European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting) told Reuters.
The sources: Council of Europe statement , Reuters
