G-7 CALLS FOR AI REGULATIONS

G7 countries should adopt risk-based regulations in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). This is what the ministers in charge of the digitisation process recommended in a final statement released at the end of their two-day meeting in Takasaki, Reuters reports.

However, it is important that the regulations in question “preserve an open and favourable environment” for the development of technology and are based on democratic values.

Forum participants acknowledged that “the policy tools for achieving a common vision and credible forms of AI may vary among G7 member countries.” However, the agreement sets a milestone in the approach of major countries to AI governance amid privacy concerns and security risks.

“The conclusions of this G7 meeting show that we are definitely not alone in this respect,” said Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s executive vice-president in charge of competition policy. She added that the European Union should also reach a political agreement this year on copyright protection for music and visual products created with machine-learning technologies.

Japan, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, has pledged support for the public and industrial deployment of artificial intelligence. Tokyo hopes to get the G7 countries “to agree on flexible and adaptive management,” said Industrial Competitiveness Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura.