Member countries have extended their support for a political deal agreed at the end of last year for new rules, proposed by the European Commission, that aim to set a global standard for AI technology.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton said the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act is historical and a world first.
The EU agreement came after France dropped its opposition to the AI Act after securing strict conditions that balance transparency with business secrets and reduces the administrative burden on high-risk AI systems.
The aim of these new rules is to ensure safety while allowing competitive AI models to develop in the bloc, however, critics have warned that these new AI rules remain unclear and could slow down the development and roll-out of innovative AI applications in Europe – putting it at a competitive disadvantage with the likes of the US and China.
While the legislation is unlikely to come in to effect until the summer, how its implemented will be crucial.
