Debate: Artificial Intelligence Act
Date: TUESDAY, 12 MARCH 2024
Speaker: Dragoş Tudorache
Country: Lithuania
Language: EN

So this is it, colleagues. We delivered, the EU delivered. No ifs, no buts, no later. These are the rules we have forever attached to the concept of artificial intelligence, the fundamental values that form the basis of our societies. And with that alone, the act has nudged the future of AI in a human-centric direction, in a direction where humans are in control of the technology and where it – the technology – helps us leverage new discoveries, economic growth, societal progress, and unlock human potential. Much work lies ahead that goes beyond the act itself. AI will push us to rethink the social contract resting at the heart of our democracies, along with our education models, our labour markets, the way we conduct warfare. All this to say that the act is not the end of a journey, but rather the starting point for a new model of governance built around technology. Going back to the act itself, we must now focus our political energy in turning it from the law in the books to the reality on the ground. First, implementation: the rules we have passed in this mandate to govern the digital domain, not just the act, are truly historical, pioneering, but making them all work in harmony with a desired effect and turning Europe into the digital powerhouse of the future will be the test of our lifetime. Second, we need to work with others. The EU now has an AI office to govern the most powerful AI models. The US and the UK have established equivalent structures and many more will follow suit. It is imperative to connect these initiatives into a strategic triangle and then into a network, and that will allow us to stay on top of any unforeseen developments in AI that might require a coordinated response. Third, we need to play on the global scene in accordance with our weight, not just by making the rules, but also by exporting them. We need to put our entire diplomatic and political clout in promoting the European model of AI governance. This is a strategic priority for the next mandate, alongside reducing our strategic dependencies and increasing our resilience – because the future is AI-fuelled and we must continue to shape it. One final thought. We haven’t yet witnessed the full power of AI. The existing capabilities have already surpassed anything we could have imagined a decade ago, at speeds we have never thought possible, and this will continue exponentially. For lack of a better term, artificial general intelligence, or AGI, is something we need to prepare for. Any AI possessing an intelligence that is superior to that of a human being will open up infinite possibilities, but at the same time, will raise never before encountered ethical, moral, and yes, even existential questions. We have in the act a first answer to those questions, but we must be prepared to cater our governance for quantum leaps that we know AI could do. I will conclude not as a politician, but as a parent. This regulation makes me feel more confident about the future of my children, and I am humbled to have played a part in shaping it together with you, all those present in this Chamber.