The EU is reportedly cutting back tech regulation in an attempt to boost investments in AI, while the UK’s AI Safety Institute has tellingly changed its name to the UK AI Security Institute.
The Financial Times spoke to Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice-president in charge of digital policy, who said the EU wanted to “help and support” companies when applying AI rules, in an effort to boost competitiveness and not get left behind in the ultra-hyped sector.
The report quotes her as saying Brussels needed to ensure “that we are not creating more reporting obligations for our companies”, and that an upcoming EU code of practice on AI expected in April would limit reporting requirements to what is included in the existing AI rules.
The FT report also notes that US President Donald Trump has threatened to retaliate against the EU for the fines it has hit US tech companies with, and his return to the White House “has emboldened Silicon Valley executives in their claim that the EU’s regulatory grip is hurting their companies.”
