Data Dive

The European Union’s AI Office published the inaugural General-Purpose AI Code of Practice on November 14, 2024. The Code is intended to assist providers of AI models in their preparations for compliance with the forthcoming EU AI Act, to be enforced from August 2, 2025. The Code is designed to be both forward-thinking and globally applicable, addressing the areas of transparency, risk evaluation, technical safeguards and governance. While adherence to the Code is not mandatory, it is anticipated to serve as a means of demonstrating compliance with the obligations under the EU AI Act. Following a consultation period that garnered approximately 430 responses, the AI Office will be empowered to apply these rules, with penalties for nonconformity potentially reaching 3% of worldwide turnover or €15 million. Three additional iterations of the Code are anticipated to be produced within the coming five months.

Following the publication of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act or Act) on 12 July 2024, there are now a series of steps that various EU bodies need to take towards implementation. One of the first key steps is in relation to the establishment of codes of practice to “contribute to the proper application” of the AI Act.

On 12 July 2024, the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act or Act) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (EU), marking the final step in the AI Act’s legislative journey. Its publication triggers the timeline for the entry into force of the myriad obligations under the AI Act, along with the deadlines we set out below. The requirement to ensure a sufficient level of AI literacy of staff dealing with the operation and use of AI systems will, for example, apply to all providers and deployers on 2 February 2025.

On May 21, 2024, the European Union finalized the adoption of the groundbreaking EU Artificial Intelligence Act, a comprehensive and sector-agnostic legislation that extends globally. This 420-page Act aims to regulate the deployment and development of AI systems, categorizing them into high-risk and low-risk, and even banning certain types of AI. The Act emphasizes trust, transparency, and accountability in AI usage, promoting the safe integration of AI technologies. This legislation sets a potential global benchmark for AI regulation, although its complexity may pose interpretative and implementation challenges for stakeholders. We set out the key provisions below.

The UK government is clearly keen to attract artificial intelligence (AI) developers to the UK by promising a regulatory environment that will nurture development and innovation. In its recently published Policy Paper, the UK government presented early proposals for what the UK’s regulatory framework in respect of AI might look like (the “Framework”). This follows the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which was published in September 2021 and specified AI regulation as a priority for the UK government. Whilst these early proposals are very high level, we set out the key points of interest in this post.

The European Parliament has reached agreement on the text of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA is new legislation that will require certain providers of online services to comply with new obligations in order to ensure online safety and to prevent the spread of illegal content. The practical effects of the legislation will likely include increased compliance costs for businesses, possible organisational/personnel changes at a compliance level and increased accountability to relevant authorities.