In a letter sent to a number of European Commissioners and to the Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council on Wednesday 8 April, some thirty European organisations involved in the defence of digital rights are concerned about the likely weakening of the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) (see EUROPE 13831/10).
In their letter, they explain that the changes sought by the co-legislators would risk “calling into question fundamental elements” of the act, which is “carefully balanced”, and this would “considerably weaken” the AI Act.
The European Parliament’s amendment to Annex I could “create significant loopholes and exclude a wide range of industrial and consumer AI systems from the direct scope” of the act, they argue.
They cite the particular case of AI systems integrated into the medical field, which are not currently covered by health legislation, nor would they come under the AI Act.
The same applies to the AI contained in certain children’s toys, which could create a real “danger” for consumers.
The signatories call on the co-legislators to “preserve the integrity and application of the Act” by “safeguarding “ its Annex I.
See the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/lgt (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)