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The European Commission today issued an outline of a European approach on artificial intelligence to “boost investment and set ethical guidelines.” The aim is to have a coordinated plan with member states by year’s end.

A press release on the announcement is available here.

“The Commission is proposing a three-pronged approach to increase public and private investment in AI, prepare for socio-economic changes, and ensure an appropriate ethical and legal framework,” it says. “This follows European leaders’ call for a European approach on AI.”

First is increasing financial support and encouraging uptake by public and private sectors. It will boost its investment in AI to EUR1.5 billion for 2018-2020.

Second it is encouraging Member States to “modernise their education and training systems and support labour market transitions,” offering support for partnerships and working to keep AI talent in Europe.

Third, the Commission will: “present ethical guidelines on AI development by the end of 2018, based on the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, taking into account principles such as data protection and transparency, and building on the work of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies. To help develop these guidelines, the Commission will bring together all relevant stakeholders in a European AI Alliance. By mid-2019 the Commission will also issue guidance on the interpretation of the Product Liability Directive in the light of technological developments, to ensure legal clarity for consumers and producers in case of defective products.

For next steps, the Commission said: “As of today and following the Declaration of cooperation signed by 24 Member States and Norway on 10 April 2018, the Commission will start work with Member States to have a coordinated plan on AI by the end of the year. The main aim is to maximise the impact of investment at the EU and national levels, encourage cooperation across the EU, exchange best practices, and define the way forward together, so as to ensure the EU’s global competitiveness in this sector. The Commission will also continue to invest in initiatives which are key for AI, including the development of more efficient electronic components and systems (such as chips specifically built to run AI operations), world-class high-performance computers, as well as flagship projects on quantum technologies and on the mapping of the human brain.”

Reactions

Several industry groups have issued statements on the Commission’s efforts on AI. Below are a few.

The Computer and Communications Association (CCIA) welcomed the Commission approach and highlighted several of its initiatives: “the Commission intends to reinforce the support for research and innovation in AI technologies, to mobilise additional investments in AI and to set up dedicated (re-)training schemes for professional profiles at risk of being automated. The Commission will also launch a multi-stakeholder European AI Alliance and plans to develop AI ethics guidelines, based on fundamental rights, by the end of the year.”

But CCIA raised a concern related to copyright reform. “[I]t is important to remember that AI is a general-purpose technology. Its development may therefore be impacted by other legislative proposals, such as the proposed European copyright reform,” it said. “By pushing for a restrictive Text and Data Mining exception, the Commission’s copyright proposal removes the ability for startups, businesses or public-private collaborators to use in Europe a technology playing a foundational role in AI.”

An open letter [pdf] on the issue dated 9 April was sent to Commission leadership by about two dozen industry and academic groups, including CCIA. A chief concern of the groups was the failure of the Commission to recognise the “foundational role that Text and Data Mining (TDM) plays in AI.”