World’s First Legally Binding AI Treaty Signed by UK, US, and EU
The United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union have made history by signing the world’s first legally binding Artificial Intelligence (AI) treaty, the Council of Europe announced on Thursday.
The AI Convention, a result of years of collaboration and discussions among 57 countries, aims to address the potential risks posed by AI while promoting responsible innovation in the field.
“This Convention is a major step towards ensuring that these new technologies can be utilized without compromising our fundamental values, such as human rights and the rule of law,” stated Britain’s justice minister, Shabana Mahmood.
The focus of the AI Convention is primarily on safeguarding the human rights of individuals impacted by AI systems, setting it apart from the EU AI Act, which recently came into effect.
The EU’s AI Act encompasses comprehensive regulations governing the development, deployment, and use of AI systems within the EU internal market.
The Council of Europe, established in 1949, is an international organization separate from the EU, dedicated to upholding human rights, with 46 member countries, including all 27 EU member states.
The process of creating the AI Convention began in 2019 with an ad hoc committee exploring the feasibility of an AI framework convention. In 2022, a Committee on Artificial Intelligence was formed to draft and negotiate the text of the treaty.
Francesca Fanucci, a legal expert at ECNL (European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting), expressed concerns about the treaty’s broad principles, noting exemptions for AI systems used in national security and limited oversight of private companies compared to the public sector.
Despite these criticisms, the U.K. government has committed to collaborating with regulators, devolved administrations, and local authorities to ensure effective implementation of the new requirements.
The signing of the AI Convention marks a significant milestone in the regulation of AI technologies globally, setting a precedent for responsible and ethical AI development and deployment.
