Countries within the European Union lagging in AI oversight preparations with deadline looming in three months
Peek into the AI Oversight Chaos Sweeping through EU
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride, as we dive into the labyrinth of EU member states' preparations to regulate AI compliance. With just 85 days left before the 27 EU nations need to appoint their AI overseers, the picture is hazy at best in over half of these countries.
Our website's recent round-up reveals that most member states have yet to reveal their choices for the all-important regulatory role. As the clock ticks down to the 2 August deadline for notifying the Commission about the appointed market surveillance authorities, the stage is set for an uncertain future for businesses under the looming AI Act.
The latest gathering of the AI Board, which helps connecting the dots between member states, showed that the majority of attendees hailed from ministries rather than national regulators. Denmark, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Romania were the lucky few with regulatory bodies present at the meeting.
The EU passerby won't comment on the readiness of the countries yet, but an insider from the AI Office privy to the goings-on admitted that the process in countries fresh from elections, such as Germany, will likely face delays.
According to this insider, the AI Board is swirling with debates among member states, as there seems to be no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to setting up the regulatory structure. Countries are free to chart their unique course, opting for either one regulator or several, and adopting a structure of their choosing.
With the AI Act set to officially kick off in August 2024 and hit full stride in 2027, delays in establishing oversight bodies could leave businesses in the dark and scrambling to comply with the regulations.
Some countries, like Spain, are establishing entirely new regulatory bodies, such as AESIA, an independent agency of the Spanish Department of Digital Transformation, to take the reins. On the other hand, Denmark has designated its pre-existing Agency for Digital Government. In Poland, the Committee on Development and Security of AI is poised to become the market surveillance authority, thanks to a pending implementing act.
As for Germany, it looks like the Federal Network Agency will step up to the plate. In the meantime, countries like the Netherlands may expand the tasks of existing privacy watchdogs to include overseeing AI Act compliance, thanks to its GDPR roots.
In a July call to arms, privacy regulators themselves urged member states to assume responsibility for high-risk systems like biometric identification, law enforcement, and management of migration, asylum, and border control.
Keep an eye on things as the deadline approaches, because this wild ride is only just beginning.
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- GDPR
- AI Act
- EU Policy
- Artificial intelligence
- Spain is establishing a new regulatory body, AESIA, to oversee AI compliance.
- Denmark has designated its Agency for Digital Government as the AI overseer.
- Germany's Federal Network Agency may become responsible for AI regulation, but delays are expected due to recent elections.
