EU Lawmakers Clash Over Foundation Models in Final AI Act Push
European Union lawmakers face mounting pressure to finalize the AI Act before the end of 2023, but deep disagreements over foundation models threaten to delay the landmark legislation.
European Union lawmakers currently navigate intense trilogue negotiations to finalize the AI Act before the end of 2023. With European elections approaching in June 2024, the Parliament, Commission, and Council face immense political pressure to transform this proposed artificial intelligence regulation into law quickly.
A major point of contention in these ongoing meetings revolves around the regulation of foundation models. The Council and Parliament hold divergent approaches regarding how strictly to govern these advanced AI systems, which forces negotiators to add extra sessions to their already packed schedule to find common ground.
Because of the pressing urgency to reach a political compromise, lawmakers potentially leave some of the most contested elements out of the final text. Instead, the EU plans to address these complex, unresolved issues later through the proposed AI Office or future harmonized standardization initiatives.