There is currently a lot of discussion and debate surrounding the legal and workers’ rights issues of artificial intelligence (AI). There are several legal aspects that companies should take into account when applying AI in business. These issues include: algorithmic transparency, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, unfairness, bias and discrimination, and lack of accountability. There are many different ways that these issues are being addressed, but there are also some gaps and challenges. These issues can have a big impact on human rights principles.
There’s much good work that has been done in the area of AI law, and acknowledges that this area needs constant evaluation and agility in approach. However, it is also important to advance the discussion on this topic, given the potential impacts of AI technologies on vulnerable individuals and groups.
We all rely on artificial intelligence every day, but as it grows, so do the legal rules that cover it. Thanks to AI’s growing role in nearly every industry, legislators have been quick to respond to protect consumers.
AI legal issues relate to both the design and nature of AI, as well as the implementation and use of AI. The design of AI often lends itself to causing or facilitating implementation and use issues. AI design often leads to implementation and use issues that can manifest in multiple sectors or fields. Many of these issues are common to all technology, such as privacy and data protection, while others are specific to AI. The potential for AI to exacerbate negative outcomes must not be underestimated.
The EU AI act
The European Union’s AI Act is a proposed law that would regulate artificial intelligence (AI). This would be the first law of its kind by a major regulator. The law would categorize AI applications into three risk categories. The first category would be for applications and systems that create an unacceptable risk, such as government-run social scoring of the type. Additionally, applications that are not explicitly banned or listed as high-risk are largely left unregulated. However, high-risk applications, such as a CV-scanning tool that ranks job applicants, are subject to specific legal requirements.