1 August 2024 marks a pivotal moment in the history of artificial intelligence regulation as the European Union's AI Act officially enters into force. This landmark legislation aims to establish a comprehensive framework for AI governance, emphasizing the protection of fundamental rights and promoting ethical AI practices.

The Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee and the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee will set up a Working Group to ensure effective implementation of the AI Act. The European Commission plays a central role in the implementation of the AI Act. The Parliament is seeking to ensure the Commission fulfills is its responsibilities.

The European Union has officially published the AI Act (EU 2024/1689) on 12 July 2024, the first comprehensive legal framework for artificial intelligence worldwide. This groundbreaking legislation aims to create a safe and trustworthy AI environment within the EU, addressing concerns about AI's impact on society and fundamental rights.

The European Commission hosted a high-level meeting to lay the groundwork for the upcoming AI Board, a key body in implementing the EU's landmark AI Act. The gathering aimed to "set the groundwork for the forthcoming implementation of the AI Act," which is expected to come into force in early August.

Meta Platforms announced that it will not launch its Meta AI models in Europe for now, following a request from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) to delay the company's plan to use user data for training AI systems. The decision comes in response to complaints filed by the European advocacy group noyb and calls to action from data protection authorities in several European countries.

On 3 June 2024, the EDPS has published its guidelines on generative Artificial Intelligence and personal data for EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies (EUIs). The guidelines aim to support p EUIs comply with the data protection obligations set out in Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, when using or developing generative AI tools (Photo: Wojciech Wiewiórowski, the European Data Protection Supervisor/EDPS).

Concurrent with the AI Act's approval, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) released a report on ongoing investigations of OpenAI’s ChatGPT across the EU. The EDPB report highlights concerns about the use of personal data in training large language models (LLMs) and emphasizes the need for compliance with both the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the AI Act.

European Commission launches formal proceedings against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over potential violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Explore the Commission's concerns regarding deceptive advertising, political content visibility, and the availability of real-time monitoring tools. Stay informed on the investigation's progress and its implications for digital platforms and democratic processes in the EU.

The European Union has launched a series of initiatives last week to enhance electoral integrity and address the challenges posed by AI in the lead-up to the 2024 European Parliament elections.

The past week witnessed significant developments in AI policy, as the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union confronted the rapid advancement of the technology and its wide-ranging implications.

The Council of Europe has released the Explanatory Memo to aid in the interpretation of the proposed AI Treaty. The Explanatory Memo provides background, context, and examples to help explain the meaning of the various Articles contained in the AI Treaty.

Both the AI Treaty and the Explanatory Memo will be considered by the Council of Ministers of the COE at a meeting on 29 April 2024.

The European Commission, together with European Research Area countries and stakeholders, has put forward a set of guidelines to support the European research community in their responsible use of generative AI. The guidelines, based on principles of research integrity and trustworthy AI, aim to address key opportunities and challenges as the technology rapidly spreads across all domains, including science.

An Italian court has determined that an algorithm to evaluate employee performance violates labor laws. The case concerned the ranking algorithm of the food delivery service Deliveroo.

This week the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted new measures concerning the transfer of personal data to countries outside of Europe.

Debate continues in the European Union about AI legislation. The European Commission had promised comprehensive AI legislation in “the first 100 days” but that initiative stalled as did efforts to establish red lines for certain AI techniques, such as facial recognition.