US, UK, EU sign treaty to regulate AI systems globally
The US, the UK, the European Union, and several other nations have signed an international treaty on artificial intelligence (AI). The Council of Europe announced this development today. The agreement is a landmark achievement as it represents the first-ever international legally binding treaty concerning the use of AI systems. Marija Pejcinovic Buric, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, said, "We must ensure that the rise of AI upholds our standards rather than undermining them."
Treaty's global reach and legal framework
Buric described the agreement as an "open treaty with a potentially global reach." She encouraged more nations to sign and those who have already signed, to ratify it. The Council of Europe stated that this treaty "provides a legal framework covering the entire lifecycle of AI systems." The aim is to foster AI advancement and innovation while mitigating potential risks to human rights, democracy, and rule of law.
Sign in follows EU's AI Act approval
The treaty was officially opened for signature at a conference of Council of Europe justice ministers in Vilnius, Lithuania. This follows just months after EU ministers finalized approval of the bloc's Artificial Intelligence Act, designed to regulate the use of AI in "high-risk" sectors.
Take a look at the participating nations
In addition to the EU, US, and UK, other signatories include Georgia, Andorra, Iceland, Norway, Moldova, San Marino and Israel. Several countries including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, the Vatican, Japan, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay were involved in negotiating the treaty. The Council of Europe, headquartered in Strasbourg, France, is an organization dedicated to upholding human rights. It comprises 47 member states, including all 27 EU member states.
Legal expert questions treaty's enforceability
Francesca Fanucci, a legal expert at the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL), expressed concerns about the agreement. She told Reuters that it had been "watered down" into a broad set of principles. Fanucci raised questions about their legal certainty and effective enforceability due to their overbroad formulation and numerous caveats. She also highlighted exemptions for AI systems used for national security purposes and limited scrutiny of private companies compared to the public sector.
Focus and implementation timeline
The treaty, officially known as the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law, concentrates on three main areas. These include protecting against data misuse and discrimination, ensuring privacy; safeguarding democracy; and upholding the rule of law. The treaty will formally come into effect "on the first day of the month following a period of three months after five signatories have ratified it."
