FTC and EU Take Simultaneous Aim at Biased Artificial Intelligence
Both US and European regulators make major moves against harmful AI, with the FTC threatening immediate action against biased algorithms while the EU unveils broad new restrictions.
Global regulators make significant moves against artificial intelligence this week as both the EU and the US FTC address the misuse of AI technologies. The EU releases its long-awaited draft regulations, which impose wide-ranging restrictions on mass surveillance and AI systems designed to manipulate human behavior.
However, a recent blog post from the FTC carries more immediate weight for tech companies. A staff lawyer announces that the commission plans to actively pursue businesses that sell or use racially biased algorithms, marking a sharp shift in the agency's historically softer approach to the technology sector.
Legal experts note this signals a major sea change in AI regulation. Because the FTC polices unfair or deceptive trade practices, companies that falsely claim their facial recognition, predictive policing, or healthcare algorithms are free from bias now face serious legal consequences.