While the world word for 2023 was “Goblin mode”, artificial intelligence (AI) with 45% of respondents’ opinions, „assemblage“ with 37% and timeshelter with 35% are the symbolic words for 2023 in Bulgaria. The goal of the campaign about “the word of the year” was to trace public opinion about the most relevant topics of the past year through linguistic preferences and attitudes. Apparently, the phrase AI connects Bulgarian to global tendencies. Its use among Bulgarian population has risen five times in comparison to 2022.
In the broadest possible sense, artificial intelligence is a machine that’s able to learn, make decisions, and take action—even when it encounters a situation it has never come across before.
In the narrowest possible sci-fi sense, many people believe that AI refers to robots and computers with human or super-human levels of intelligence and enough personality to act as a character.
What we have now is sometimes called weak AI, narrow AI, or artificial narrow intelligence (ANI): all programmes that are trained to perform specific tasks but aren’t able to do everything. This still enables some pretty impressive uses. Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa are both fairly simple ANIs, but they can still respond to a wide number of requests.
Currently, most AIs rely on a process called machine learning to develop the complex algorithms that constitute their ability to act intelligently.
European Union and artificial intelligence
As a part of its digital strategy, the EU wants to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure better conditions for the development and use of this innovative technology. AI can create many benefits, such as better healthcare; safer and cleaner transport; more efficient manufacturing; and cheaper and more sustainable energy.
In April 2021, the European Commission proposed the first EU regulatory framework for AI. It says that AI systems that can be used in different applications are analysed and classified according to the risk they pose to users. The different risk levels will mean more or less regulation. Once approved, these will be the world’s first rules on AI. After GDPR such comprehensive document will we of global significance and a leading example.
The new rules establish obligations for providers and users depending on the level of risk from artificial intelligence. While many AI systems pose minimal risk, they need to be assessed.
Several legislative initiatives are also under consideration to address various aspects of AI, such as the AI Liability Directive and the revision of the Product Defect Liability Directive. The first project aims to prevent the emergence of fragmented national adaptations of AI liability rules, while the second modernizes already existing rules to respond to the new challenges of the digital age.
The AI Regulation will be the world’s first comprehensive instrument in this area. After the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), such a comprehensive document will have global significance and lead by example.
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe, which is the oldest human rights’ protection organization in Europe and the aim of which is to achieve greater unity among its members to “protect and realize the ideals and principles which are their common heritage”, adopted the first international, legally binding treaty to guarantee European values in the creation and use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The provisions of this convention govern the life-cycle activities of artificial intelligence systems and ensure their full compliance with human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Strict rules are laid down for the development, deployment and application of such technologies, with the 46 member states committing to adopt appropriate legislative, administrative or other measures to bring them into operation. These measures shall be graded and differentiated as necessary in view of the severity and likelihood of adverse impacts on human rights, democracy and the rule of law throughout the life cycle of artificial intelligence systems.
With a view to fostering innovation while avoiding adverse human rights consequences, each country is urged to create a controlled environment for the development, experimentation and testing of AI systems under the supervision of relevant competent authorities.
The Convention is open for signature by the member states of the Council of Europe, by the non-member states that participated in its drafting, and by the European Union. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
To ensure consistent implementation by Parties, the Convention establishes a follow-up mechanism and provides for international cooperation. A conference of representatives of the parties to the Convention monitors the effective implementation and identification of any problems and results of any reservation or declaration made under the procedures. Other tasks are to facilitate the exchange of information on significant legal, political or technological developments that would contribute to the achievement of the objectives pursued, to assist, when necessary, in the friendly settlement of disputes related to the implementation of the Convention and to promote cooperation with relevant stakeholders on various aspects of implementation, including and through public hearings when appropriate.
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