The European Union has taken a clear step towards regulating artificial intelligencewith the AIAct . As of last week, certain forms of AI are labelled as risky or even banned. But what does this mean concretely for Flemish SMEs? And how can your company prepare for these new regulations?
What is the AI Act?
The AI Act is the world’s first comprehensive legislation regulating artificial intelligence. It aims to encourage innovation while addressing risks such as discrimination, abuse and opaque decision-making. The Act distinguishes different levels of risk:
- Banned AI systems: AI applications that pose an unacceptable risk, such as social credit systems or biometric identification in public places. The first real deadline of the AI Act went into effect on 2 February, with AI systems that pose an unacceptable risk officially banned in this first phase.
- High-risk AI: systems that have a direct impact on human rights and security, such as AI in healthcare, justice or critical infrastructures.
- Limited risk: AI applications such as chatbots and recommender systems, which have clear transparency obligations.
- Minimal risk: AI applications such as spell checkers and search engines, which are not subject to specific regulation.
Impact on Flemish SMEs
Many Flemish companies are using AI, for example for automation, marketing or customer service. The AI Act means that companies deploying AI must take into account:
- Strict compliance requirements: AI systems falling under the high-risk category must comply with transparency and security requirements.
- Transparency obligations: customers must know they are interacting with an AI system.
- Restriction on prohibited AI: if your business relies on AI systems that are now considered risky, you should look for alternatives.
More regulation on the way?
Currently, the AI Action Summit is in full swing in Paris. Government ministers and companies from all over the world are travelling to the French capital to discuss the future of AI and its regulation. The outcomes of this summit will undoubtedly influence the further development of AI legislation in Europe and beyond.
Ahead of the AI summit in Paris, AI experts worldwide called for tighter regulation of AI. This highlights growing concerns about the ethical and security aspects of AI applications. At the same time, some industries, such as Capgemini, are criticising European AI regulations, arguing that they go too far and could hamper innovation. These divergent views show how important it is for Flemish SMEs to stay well informed about both the benefits and risks of AI.
Preparing for the future
The AI Act is just the beginning. AI continues to evolve and legislation will evolve with it. By taking the right steps now, you will ensure that your company not only complies with regulations, but also gains competitive advantage by using ethical and transparent AI solutions.
Want to know how your company can stay compliant and use AI to its full potential? Contact Ittes for tailored advice.
At Ittes, we understand that regulations can be complex. That’s why we help your business with:
→ advice and guidance: we help you audit your existing AI applications and implement compliant solutions.
→ AI training: we offer training on how to deploy AI responsibly and compliantly in your business.
→ IttesAI: your compliant AI platform. Our AI solutions are fully customisable and developed with EU compliance in mind.
