FACTBOX-Governments race to regulate AI tools

Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT are complicating governments' efforts to agree laws governing the use of the technology.

Here are the latest steps national and international governing bodies are taking to regulate AI tools: AUSTRALIA

* Seeking input on regulations The government is consulting Australia's main science advisory body and considering next steps, a spokesperson for the industry and science minister said in April.

BRITAIN * Planning regulations

The Financial Conduct Authority, one of several state regulators that has been tasked with drawing up new guidelines covering AI, is consulting with the Alan Turing Institute and other legal and academic institutions to improve its understanding of the technology, a spokesperson told Reuters. Britain's competition regulator said in May it would start examining the impact of AI on consumers, businesses and the economy and whether new controls were needed.

Britain said in March it planned to split responsibility for governing AI between its regulators for human rights, health and safety, and competition, rather than creating a new body. CHINA

* Planning regulations The Chinese government will seek to initiate AI regulations in its country, billionaire Elon Musk said on June 5 after meeting with officials during his recent trip to China.

China's cyberspace regulator in April unveiled draft measures to manage generative AI services, saying it wanted firms to submit security assessments to authorities before they launch offerings to the public. Beijing will support leading enterprises in building AI models that can challenge ChatGPT, its economy and information technology bureau said in February.

EUROPEAN UNION * Planning regulations

The U.S. and EU should push the AI industry to adopt a voluntary code of conduct within months to provide safeguards while new laws are developed, EU tech chief Margrethe Vestager said on May 31. Vestager said she believed a draft could be drawn up "within the next weeks". Key EU lawmakers in May agreed on tougher draft rules to rein in generative AI and proposed a ban on facial surveillance. The European Parliament will vote on the draft of the EU's AI Act in June.

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has joined in the concern about ChatGPT and other AI chatbots, calling on EU consumer protection agencies to investigate the technology and the potential harm to individuals. FRANCE

* Investigating possible breaches France's privacy watchdog CNIL said in April it was investigating several complaints about ChatGPT after the chatbox was temporarily banned in Italy over a suspected breach of privacy rules.

France's National Assembly approved in March the use of AI video surveillance during the 2024 Paris Olympics, overlooking warnings from civil rights groups. G7

* Seeking input on regulations Group of Seven leaders meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, acknowledged on May 20 the need for governance of AI and immersive technologies and agreed to have ministers discuss the technology as the "Hiroshima AI process" and report results by the end of 2023.

G7 nations should adopt "risk-based" regulation on AI, G7 digital ministers said after a meeting in April in Japan. IRELAND

* Seeking input on regulations Generative AI needs to be regulated, but governing bodies must work out how to do so properly before rushing into prohibitions that "really aren't going to stand up", Ireland's data protection chief said in April.

ISRAEL * Seeking input on regulations

Israel has been working on AI regulations "for the last 18 months or so" to achieve the right balance between innovation and the preservation of human rights and civic safeguards, Ziv Katzir, director of national AI planning at the Israel Innovation Authority, said in June. Israel published a 115-page draft AI policy in October and is collating public feedback ahead of a final decision.

ITALY * Investigating possible breaches

Italy's data protection authority plans to review other artificial intelligence platforms and hire AI experts, a top official said in May. ChatGPT became available again to users in Italy in April after being temporarily banned over concerns by the national data protection authority in March.

JAPAN * Investigating possible breaches

Japan's privacy watchdog said on June 2 it has warned OpenAI not to collect sensitive data without people's permission and to minimise the sensitive data it collects, adding it may take further action if it has more concerns. SPAIN

* Investigating possible breaches Spain's data protection agency said in April it was launching a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches by ChatGPT. It has also asked the EU's privacy watchdog to evaluate privacy concerns surrounding ChatGPT.

UNITED NATIONS * Planning regulations

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on June 12 backed a proposal by some AI executives for the creation of an AI watchdog like the International Atomic Energy Agency, but noted that "only member states can create it, not the Secretariat of the United Nations". Guterres has also announced plans to start work by the end of the year on a high-level AI advisory body to regularly review AI governance arrangements and offer recommendations.

U.S. * Seeking input on regulations

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's chief said in May the agency was committed to using existing laws to keep in check some of the dangers of AI, such as enhancing the power of dominant firms and "turbocharging" fraud. Senator Michael Bennet introduced a bill in April that would create a task force to look at U.S. policies on AI, and identify how best to reduce threats to privacy, civil liberties and due process.

The Biden administration earlier in April said it was seeking public comments on potential accountability measures for AI systems. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)