Wednesday, June 14th 2023

EU Approves Formation of Artificial Intelligence Act

The European parliament has voted today on a proposed set of rules that aim to govern artificial intelligence development in the region. The main branch has approved the text of draft of this legislation—a final tally showed participant counts of 499 in favor, and 28 against, and 93 abstentions at the Strasbourg HQ-based meeting. The so called "AI Act" could be a world first as well as a global standard for regulation over AI technology—members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are expected to work on more detailed specifics with all involved countries before new legislation is set in stone.

Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for the internal market stated today: "AI raises a lot of questions socially, ethically, economically. But now is not the time to hit any 'pause button'. On the contrary, it is about acting fast and taking responsibility." The council is aiming to gain control of several fields of AI applications including drone operation, automated medical diagnostic equipment, "high risk" large language models and deepfake production methods. Critics of AI have reasoned that uncontrolled technological advancements could enable computers to perform tasks faster than humans—thus creating the potential for large portions of the working population to become redundant.
Sources: Guardian, EU Proposal
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70 Comments on EU Approves Formation of Artificial Intelligence Act

#26
Space Lynx
Astronaut
AusWolfI was thinking more along the lines of machines doing all the menial work while most if us live on Universal Income, while those who aspire for more do the exciting stuff, like the design and maintenance of said machines.
I'm glad you are still an optimist, I'm pretty sure the rich ones who rule over us will never allow this to occur, instead suffering and begging await us in this world of such advancement.
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#27
AusWolf
Space LynxI'm glad you are still an optimist, I'm pretty sure the rich ones who rule over us will never allow this to occur, instead suffering and begging await us in this world of such advancement.
I'm sure such a time will come, and I'm also sure that it'll take centuries, if not millenia. As for the immediate future, you're absolutely right. Technological progress is only good if it accompanies advancements in human nature. That's why I'm cautious about AI. I don't think humankind is ready for it.
Posted on Reply
#28
Space Lynx
Astronaut
AusWolfI'm sure such a time will come, and I'm also sure that it'll take centuries, if not millenia. As for the immediate future, you're absolutely right. Technological progress is only good if it accompanies advancements in human nature. That's why I'm cautious about AI. I don't think humankind is ready for it.
I'm still not convinced even smartphones are good for us... when I look at people like my grandparents who were so good at memorizing things, I can't memorize shit anymore, I trained my brain to never store stuff in long term memory somehow cause I have this device that can find anything I need at any time.

Maybe that's just me I don't know
Posted on Reply
#29
AusWolf
Space LynxI'm still not convinced even smartphones are good for us... when I look at people like my grandparents who were so good at memorizing things, I can't memorize shit anymore, I trained my brain to never store stuff in long term memory somehow cause I have this device that can find anything I need at any time.

Maybe that's just me I don't know
It's not just you. Smartphones and social media are huge contributing factors in the rise of mental health problems around the world. People in general have never been as depressed, lonely, but also mentally and emotionally degenerate and incapable as they are nowadays. The things that are supposed to bring us closer together are responsible for loosening our social bonds, ironically, because we don't know how to handle them responsibly. The disintegration of family and friendship structures in favour of facebook-friends and one-night hookups is not a good thing on the human psyche. "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" - says the Assassin's Creed. "When everything is permitted, nothing is true" - is our modern-day reality.

Am I going too far off-topic? :ohwell:
Posted on Reply
#30
Space Lynx
Astronaut
AusWolfIt's not just you. Smartphones and social media are huge contributing factors in the rise of mental health problems around the world. People in general have never been as depressed, lonely, but also mentally and emotionally degenerate and incapable as they are nowadays. The things that are supposed to bring us closer together are responsible for loosening our social bonds, ironically, because we don't know how to handle them responsibly. The disintegration of family and friendship structures in favour of facebook-friends and one-night hookups is not a good thing on the human psyche. "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" - says the Assassin's Creed. "When everything is permitted, nothing is true" - is our modern-day reality.

Am I going too far off-topic? :ohwell:

this trailer predicted the future. it's so true. haha
Posted on Reply
#31
AusWolf
Space Lynx

this trailer predicted the future. it's so true. haha
That's a great film. Good comedy that makes you want to cry with the amount of truth it contains. A must-watch for everyone.
Posted on Reply
#32
Bomby569
qwerty_leshoverall wont this just hinder EU when the rest of the world (looking at you China and US) arent implementing any similar regulation
the same way he hindered our healthcare, our customer protection, job protection? I'm fine with that.
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#33
bug
Nice. There's no significant AI development in the EU to speak of, but at least we regulated it. That'll put us in the lead. :wtf:
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#34
AusWolf
bugNice. There's no significant AI development in the EU to speak of, but at least we regulated it. That'll put us in the lead. :wtf:
I think this law is similar to GDPR in a sense that it's not meant to push us into the lead, but to prevent unwanted company (or individual) behaviour, and for that, I welcome it.
Posted on Reply
#35
Bomby569
bugNice. There's no significant AI development in the EU to speak of, but at least we regulated it. That'll put us in the lead. :wtf:
If to go on the lead of something we have to make the EU a wild west for tech companies to abuse us, then it's not a good deal. The EU is great on a lot of other sectors, we don't need the AI bubble to survive. Like the "we don't have tech BS", but we lead on several key industries related to chip design/manufacturing.
Posted on Reply
#36
AusWolf
Bomby569If to go on the lead of something we have to make the EU a wild west for tech companies to abuse us, then it's not a good deal. The EU is great on a lot of other sectors, we don't need the AI bubble to survive. Like the "we don't have tech BS", but we lead on several key industries related to chip design/manufacturing.
It kind of reminds me of how the GMO (genetically modified) food industry tried(-s) to portray us as the bad guys hindering progress. Now who's the one serving GMO-free, 100% beef burgers at McDonalds? ;)

Edit: As history has shown us on multiple occasions, not all progress is good. Sometimes it goes too far, and has to be taken back a notch.
Posted on Reply
#37
Vayra86
Muser99Window dressing!
Sure, just like GDPR ? ;)
bugNice. There's no significant AI development in the EU to speak of, but at least we regulated it. That'll put us in the lead. :wtf:
We've seen what the other way around leads to.
Look at the power of Big Tech. Dystopia is just around the corner in the US and in China they already have a live environment of it by happily marrying gov and commerce; in many ways, I think its extremely healthy the EU is moving against that proactively.

In the end societies exist for their civilians, not their companies, especially not multinationals. We all need these perspectives for the future. Without them, faith in that future will erode rapidly - we're again already seeing this happen right before our eyes.

We need FAR MORE regulation to be fair, and it takes real courage to take a first step.
In a general sense this is also putting checks and balances on hypercapitalism which IMHO is another thing we all benefit from. As voters we should want this. As humans we should want this. The economy is a means, not a goal.

All I see from the EU lately is actual thought leadership. That is where our value is at. We have the historical background to make it happen, deep down everyone knows it must be done here.
Posted on Reply
#38
AusWolf
Vayra86Sure, just like GDPR ? ;)


We've seen what the other way around leads to.
Look at the power of Big Tech. Dystopia is just around the corner in the US and in China they already have a live environment of it by happily marrying gov and commerce; in many ways, I think its extremely healthy the EU is moving against that proactively.

In the end societies exist for their civilians, not their companies, especially not multinationals. We all need these perspectives for the future. Without them, faith in that future will erode rapidly - we're again already seeing this happen right before our eyes.

We need FAR MORE regulation to be fair, and it takes real courage to take a first step.
I couldn't have said it better myself. :)

When governments hinder common people to give companies more way, quality of life erodes fast.
When governments hinder companies to give common people more way, that's when they're really doing their job.

We're here on this planet for our own happiness after all, not to make some rich guy we're never gonna meet even richer.
Posted on Reply
#39
Vayra86
LabRat 891Honestly, even with all the legitimate concerns and controversy:
No nation should be 'reigning in AI' (like this).
why?

Any 'legislation and regulation' is just going to hinder open development, and put every consequence we're legitimately worried about squarely in the hands of specially-dispensated (quasi-)Nationalized industries and National Militaries.
IMO, 'stuff like this' is going to facilitate the precise catastrophes the people are wanting to avoid.

Unironically:
I hate to say this, but you're simply wrong and history proves it.

In the end every single country is ran by its civilians and not its government. Even states like China or Russia. Look how afraid they are of the public. In every crisis it is the human factor that makes the difference. Even in our darkest hours (Cuba crisis) the red button was avoided not because of the chain of command, but because of an individual following his gut and realizing the weight of his decision. (If you need a source I'll provide).

Companies lack those checks and balances for as long as there is shareholder support. That is dangerous. Shareholders are not tied to any society. We also have live proof in the overall and continuous degradation of division of wealth. The power balance is royally screwed in commerce lately, and we don't benefit.
Posted on Reply
#40
AusWolf
Vayra86I hate to say this, but you're simply wrong and history proves it.

In the end every single country is ran by its civilians and not its government. Even states like China or Russia. Look how afraid they are of the public.

Companies lack those checks and balances for as long as there is shareholder support. That is dangerous. Shareholders are not tied to any society. We also have live proof in the overall and continuous degradation of division of wealth. The power balance is royally screwed in commerce lately, and we don't benefit.
You're not wrong, but unfortunately, we've never seen a time when individuals have as wide access to (mis-)information as they do nowadays. Mass hysteria, public brainwashing and general stupidity propagated by the internet have never been a thing before. It is absolutely imaginable to live in a world where no one can tell true from false, right from wrong, or valuable from meaningless. Such individuals, aka consumers, will never rise against their government. Combine that with education (about false facts) and the power of AI, and you have total control.

Edit: And that's where I agree that this is when governments have to step up and do the right thing.
Posted on Reply
#41
Bomby569
It's the fear button. Fear that the Ukrainian nazys come for your babies, fear that the AI runs away from the EU, fear that lawless will kill society if you don't accept the CCP surveillance, fear that communists will rule your country if you have healthcare, fear that 3rd party car repair shops rape you (this is real, not making this up)

Posted on Reply
#42
Vayra86
AusWolfYou're not wrong, but unfortunately, we've never seen a time when individuals have as wide access to (mis-)information as they do nowadays. Mass hysteria, public brainwashing and general stupidity propagated by the internet have never been a thing before. It is absolutely imaginable to live in a world where no one can tell true from false, right from wrong, or valuable from meaningless. Such individuals, aka consumers, will never rise against their government. Combine that with education (about false facts) and the power of AI, and you have total control.

Edit: And that's where I agree that this is when governments have to step up and do the right thing.
Now I almost feel like replaying MGS 2. Or 4.
It practically tells this story, control the flow of information and you control everything. I think its true. Real power doesn't come from guns or muscle, but from information dominance. Especially when the battlefield is half computer controlled.
Posted on Reply
#43
AusWolf
Bomby569It's the fear button. Fear that the Ukrainian nazys come for your babies, fear that the AI runs away from the EU, fear that lawless will kill society if you don't accept the CCP surveillance, fear that 3rd party car repair shops rape you (this is real, not making this up)

The fear button has played many (too many) roles over the last few years, but I don't think this regulation is one of those roles. We're only setting our foot in AI territory, it's best to be cautious.
Vayra86Now I almost feel like replaying MGS 2.
It practically tells this story, control the flow of information and you control everything. I think its true. Real power doesn't come from guns or muscle, but from information dominance. Especially when the battlefield is half computer controlled.
I haven't played it, but it sounds interesting. We could also mention the original Assassin's Creed, or Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2.
Posted on Reply
#44
R0H1T
Vayra86Dystopia is just around the corner in the US and in China they already have a live environment of it by happily marrying gov and commerce; in many ways, I think its extremely healthy the EU is moving against that proactively.
Around the corner? It's already here o_O
www.wired.com/story/anti-porn-covenant-eyes-bond-revoked/
The slight difference probably being that in China the state pays for the Social Justice (credit?) system while in the US you pay for it, literally :nutkick:

I'm sure something similar is in the works for EU as well.
Posted on Reply
#45
Bomby569
R0H1TAround the corner? It's already here o_O
www.wired.com/story/anti-porn-covenant-eyes-bond-revoked/
The slight difference probably being that in China the state pays for the Social Justice (credit?) system while in the US you pay for it, literally :nutkick:

I'm sure something similar is in the works for EU as well.
really confusing there, but if you have a system where jails get more money for more prisoners, then they will try to get as many prisoners as possible and keep them there for as long as possible. Business maximising profit is natural. A dystopian country is the problem.
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#47
AusWolf
Bomby569really confusing there, but if you have a system where jails get more money for more prisoners, then they will try to get as many prisoners as possible and keep them there for as long as possible. Business maximising profit. A dystopian country is the problem.
When jails, healthcare, public services, etc. are privately owned, they have no choice but to work around quotas. They need "customers" to function. It's a disgusting relationship, really.
Posted on Reply
#48
Bomby569
AusWolfThe fear button has played many (too many) roles over the last few years, but I don't think this regulation is one of those roles. We're only setting our foot in AI territory, it's best to be cautious.
you completely lost the point of my argument. I was saying this don't heart AI's fellings or they will run away, is a fear campaign, something that is currently the way they try and condition decisions this days.
Posted on Reply
#50
R0H1T
Bomby569really confusing there, but if you have a system where jails get more money for more prisoners, then they will try to get as many prisoners as possible and keep them there for as long as possible. Business maximising profit is natural. A dystopian country is the problem.
A powerful state will always gravitate/deviate towards total authoritarianism.

Sure but what's not natural is how legal is it to pay bribes, like in the US, & that corporations should be championed or lauded for sucking the life out of the middle class & especially the lowest earning workers!
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