Artificial Intelligence. Legal framework and reflections on the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act

Marta Boura

Keywords

Digital decade; artificial intelligence; Artificial Intelligence Act; legal framework.

Abstract

On June 14, 2023, the European Parliament voted in favour of a proposal to regulate the use of artificial intelligence which albeit corresponding to the European Commission's proposal of April 21, 2021, already includes important changes compared to the original version. Among those, we highlight, on one hand, the review of the definition of artificial intelligence systems and, on the other hand, the list of artificial intelligence practices considered prohibited. It can therefore be stated that the way has been opened towards the consolidation of the European legal framework in this matter. On the path to building a resilient Europe for the Digital Decade, the European Commission has pointed out the artificial intelligence as an opportunity for excellence in the digital transformation. The European proposal focuses on regulating and preventing the risks of using artificial intelligence, determining both obligations and mandatory requirements for specific uses of this technology. In this sense, the proposal finds its merit in the forefront of regulating a technology that already exists in society and is therefore already capable of creating risks, but also in shaping a conscious use that can always bring the community closer to technology. In this paper, we propose to reflect on the development of artificial intelligence in light of the transformative opportunities and challenges of its use, analyzing, along the way, the terms and adequacy of the proposed legal framework.