The Rise Of The Machines: The EU Is Getting Ready To Regulate AI

In April 2021, the European Commission (EC) released its long-awaited proposal for an Artificial Intelligence Act.¹ But what is artificial intelligence?

The term artificial intelligence ("AI") has no finite definition but is generally understood to describe a system that can analyse input and, based on this input, take actions to achieve certain goals. Karen Hao, senior AI editor at MIT Technology Review, defined it as follows: " AI refers to machines that can learn, reason, and act for themselves. They can make their own decisions when faced with new situations, in the same way that humans and animals can."

AI is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. Most of us already use AI-based systems such as translation tools, voice assistants like Alexa or Siri, or face recognition functions on a regular basis. However, AI can also appear in tangible products