THREAD: I've taken an in-depth look at the Commission draft paper on Artificial Intelligence leak that @EURACTIV obtained yesterday....there are several important points....
euractiv.com/section/digita…
euractiv.com/section/digita…
Firstly, yes a time-limited (3-5 years) ban on facial recognition in public spaces is in the offing. This could provoke a serious conflict between @EU_Commission and certain member states - including France @cedric_o & Germany @BMI_Bund...
...The French have plans to a legal framework permitting video surveillance systems to be embedded with facial recognition technologies... rfi.fr/en/france/2020…...
And in Germany, Seehofer recently announced intentions to roll out automatic facial recognition at 134 railway stations and 14 airports across the country: euractiv.com/section/data-p…
HOWEVER, in the paper, there are OTHER options for regulation. The Commission considers 5:
-Voluntary labelling
-Sectorial requirements for public administration & facial recognition
-Mandatory risk-based requirements for high-risk applications
-Safety & liability
-Governance
-Voluntary labelling
-Sectorial requirements for public administration & facial recognition
-Mandatory risk-based requirements for high-risk applications
-Safety & liability
-Governance
Option 1: involves a voluntary 'ethical' labelling framework for products, which would be binding.
Option 2: EU would consider reining in AI in public administration, taking its lead from Canada in its Directive on Automated Decision Making, which sets out minimum standards for government departments that wish to use an Automated Decision System.
Option 3: certain high-risk sectors and appliances would need to be identified - papers suggest that healthcare, transport, policing and the judiciary could be targeted.
Option 4: “targeted amendments” could be made to existing legislation, including on on the General Product Safety Directive, the Machinery Directive, the Radio Equipment Directive and the Product Liability Directive....
...Liability is a vital area in the regulation of AI. The paper states: “adjustments may be needed to clarify the responsibility of developers of artificial intelligence and to distinguish them from the responsibilities of the producer of the products.”
Option 5. Governance - paper states that an effective system of enforcement is essential, requiring a strong system of public oversight with the involvement of national authorities.
And and important caveat to all the brouhaha being made about the facial recognition clampdown possibility. The Commission clearly states in the paper that the most likely options for regulation are a combination of 3,4 & 5 - NOT necessarily facial recognition. Watch this space..
