EU Agree Preliminary Agreement to Regulate Use of AI Technologies, Including ChatGPT

JAKARTA - A preliminary agreement in the European Union stipulated that companies using generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, must disclose any copyrighted material used to develop their systems. This deal could pave the way for the world's first comprehensive legislation governing the technology.

The European Commission began drafting the AI ​​Act nearly two years ago to regulate this fast-growing technology, which is experiencing an explosion in investment and popularity following the release of OpenAI's AI-powered ChatGPT chatbot.

Members of the European Parliament agreed to push the bill to the next stage, namely the trilogue, during which legislators and EU member states will work out the final details of the law.

According to the proposal, AI tools will be classified based on the level of perceived risk, ranging from minimal to limited, high and unacceptable. Areas of concern include biometric surveillance, the spread of misinformation or discriminatory language.

While high-risk tools won't be banned, the companies that use them need to be very transparent in their operations.

Companies using generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT or the Midjourney image generator, must also disclose any copyrighted material used to develop their systems.

These provisions are the latest additions drafted in the last two weeks, according to a source familiar with the discussions. Some committee members initially proposed banning the use of copyrighted material to train generative AI models in its entirety, the sources said, but this was left out for transparency requirements.

"In keeping with the conservative desire for more oversight and the left's delusions of over-regulation, parliament found a solid compromise that will proportionally regulate AI, protect citizens' rights, and encourage innovation and boost the economy," said Svenja Hahn, deputy of the European Parliament. .

Microsoft-backed OpenAI sparked admiration and dismay around the world when they launched ChatGPT late last year. The chatbot is the fastest growing consumer app in history, reaching 100 million monthly active users in just a few weeks.

The continued race among tech companies to bring generative AI products to market has raised concerns for some observers, while Twitter owner Elon Musk has backed a proposal to halt development of such systems for six months.

After signing the letter, the Financial Times reported that Musk plans to launch his own startup to rival OpenAI.