G7 should adopt ‘risk-based’ AI regulation, ministers say

G7 Digital Ministers Agree on “Risk-Based” Regulation for AI

By Kantaro Komiya

The future of artificial intelligence has many people skeptical on what AI “is” and whether we should be nervous. However, the Group of Seven advanced nations has taken a step towards regulating AI by adopting a “risk-based” approach. Their digital ministers agreed on Sunday that such regulation should also “preserve an open and enabling environment” for the development of AI technologies and be based on democratic values.

• The agreement sets a landmark for how major countries govern AI amid privacy concerns and security risks.
• Policy instruments to achieve the common vision and goal of trustworthy AI may vary across G7 members.
• Italy, a G7 member, took ChatGPT offline last month to investigate its potential breach of personal data rules.
• EU lawmakers on Thursday reached a preliminary agreement on a new draft of its upcoming AI Act, including copyright protection measures for generative AI.

Japan, this year’s chair of G7, has taken an accommodative approach on AI developers, pledging support for public and industrial adoption of AI. Japan hopes to get the G7 “to agree on agile or flexible governance, rather than preemptive, catch-all regulation” over AI technology.

Security Risks and Disinformation

G7 countries recognized security risks associated with generative AI, which produces fake news and disruptive solutions to society if the data it’s based on is fake. The ministers plan to convene future discussions on generative AI, which could include topics such as governance, how to safeguard intellectual property rights including copyright, promote transparency, and address disinformation, including information manipulation by foreign forces.

Overall, the conclusions of this G7 meeting show that we are definitely not alone in this. European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager told Reuters ahead of the agreement that the G7’s adoption of “risk-based” regulation on AI is a step in the right direction.