EU and US continue to cooperate on AI, including genAI

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The EU and US are in close contact over artificial intelligence (AI) risks and mitigation, including a possible partnership for a framework on generative AI, according to an unreleased draft statement, seen by Euractiv, for a joint meeting to be held on 4-5 April.

While the EU passed comprehensive AI regulation earlier in March, the US has issued an executive order on the technology on the federal level, focused around guidelines as opposed to the EU’s binding measures. Several US states have enacted their own laws on the technology.

The draft joint statement for the sixth ministerial meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) was dated 13 March and seen by Euractiv. The draft statement was tabled for discussion on the EU side at this week’s meeting of EU ambassadors, the Coreper.

The newly-formed AI Office at the European Commission and the US AI Safety Institute have briefed each other on their approaches and mandates, and plan to continue having regular discussions, the document says.

The statement also mentions a possible cooperation agreement between the two AI offices to develop a framework fro evaluating generative AI.

The technology allows the creation of life-like audio, images, and video, which is of keen interest to regulators in a year when almost half of the world’s population is heading to voting booths, including in Europe and the US.

The Brief – DSA is branching into genAI regulation for EU elections

While the European Commission released its guidelines on how to avoid the abuse of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in June’s EU elections, the internet was ablaze with theories that a video intended to show the wellbeing of Kate Middleton, a member of the British Royal Family, was fake and created by AI.

Following consultations with stakeholders, the two sides have also updated a list of mutually acceptable definitions related to AI. A previous version of the list was published in May 2023.

The two jurisdictions have made significant progress in defining milestones and deliverables in joint research for extreme weather, energy, and emergency response.

The EU-US TTC is a forum for the allies to coordinate on global trade, tech, and economic issues. It was established in 2021.

The allies are reflecting on their cooperation under the TTC, says the document. They plan to set up a process so stakeholders from both jurisdictions can give feedback on the TTC, so that the cooperation forum can be iterated upon.

[Euractiv illustration by Esther Snippe, Photos by EPA/Shutterstock]

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[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]