European Parliament Approves AI Act Negotiating Stance With Strong Bans
The European Parliament overwhelmingly votes to adopt its negotiating position on the AI Act, clearing the way for final trilogue discussions. The approved text includes strict bans on biometric surveillance and emotion recognition in specific settings.
The European Parliament takes a major step toward passing the world's first comprehensive artificial intelligence regulation by approving its negotiating position on the AI Act. Lawmakers pass the measure with 499 votes in favor, 28 against, and 93 abstentions, officially setting the stage for upcoming trilogue negotiations with the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission. Parliament President Roberta Metsola emphasizes that this groundbreaking regulation manages risk while positioning Europe as a global leader in digital innovation based on fundamental rights.
The approved text features a risk-based approach that includes outright bans on several high-risk AI applications. Notably, the legislation prohibits real-time biometric identification systems in public spaces, biometric categorization using sensitive attributes like race or religion, and emotion recognition systems in workplaces, schools, and law enforcement. Additionally, the parliament outlaws predictive policing technologies that rely on profiling and massive data scraping of facial images from the internet or surveillance cameras.
Alongside these sweeping prohibitions, the parliament's framework addresses high-risk AI systems that pose significant harm to health, safety, fundamental rights, or the environment. The text also includes specific provisions for generative AI models as lawmakers prepare to defend their position in the upcoming trilogue negotiations. Italian MEP Brando Benifei notes that while the goal is to harness AI's positive potential for creativity and productivity, the parliament remains committed to countering dangers to democracy and freedom.