Global: EU Member States Approve Milestone AI Act in Landmark Decision

The European Union has achieved a significant milestone in the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), as all 27 member states voted to approve the final text of the EU’s AI Act, according to Commissioner for Internal Market of the EU, Thierry Breton.

Breton confirmed the “endorsement of the political agreement reached in December” 2023, describing the AI Act as a historical achievement and a global first in a post on the social media platform X.

The AI Act establishes a risk-based approach to regulate various AI applications, addressing the use of AI in biometric surveillance by governments, the regulation of AI systems like ChatGPT, and the transparency requirements before AI products enter the market.

Following the political agreement in December, efforts were made to transform the agreed-upon positions into a final compromise text for approval by lawmakers. This process concluded with the “coreper” vote on February 2, involving the permanent representatives of all member states.

Concerns have been raised by experts about the emergence of deepfakes—realistic yet fabricated videos created by AI algorithms—on social media platforms, blurring the lines between truth and fiction in public discourse.

Margrethe Vestager, the Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, emphasized that the Friday agreement marks a significant step toward implementing the AI Act. She highlighted the core principle of the AI Act, stating, “The riskier the AI, the greater the liabilities for developers.” For instance, in cases where AI is used to screen job applicants or determine eligibility for an educational program.

The approval on Friday followed France withdrawing its objection to the AI Act. Earlier, on January 30, Germany had also endorsed the act after reaching a compromise, as confirmed by the Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport, Volker Wissing.

The next steps for the AI Act involve legislation proceedings with a vote by a crucial EU lawmaker committee scheduled for February 13, followed by a European Parliament vote in March or April. The full implementation of the AI Act is anticipated in 2026, with specific provisions taking effect earlier.

To ensure compliance with the AI Act, the European Commission is working to establish an AI Office tasked with monitoring high-impact foundational models that are considered to have systemic risk. Additionally, measures have been unveiled to support local AI developers, including the upgrade of the EU’s supercomputer network for generative AI model training.