Artificial intelligence is changing how we operate as a society, and this has not gone unnoticed by the European Commission (EC). At present, the EC is working on building a high-level expert group on AI and a European AI Alliance. It will spearhead the EU’s work on the impact of the technology on the European economy and society.
AI as a technology has implications in the fintech sector and also strengthens other industries such as farming, banking, healthcare, transportation, public administration, and cybersecurity. Additionally, it assists in, according to the EC, “address[ing] grand challenges such as ageing and climate change.”
On top of all of this, per the EC, the technology is good for European businesses, including start-ups and SMEs.
Up to the present, the EC has tried to effectively harness the varied uses and potential in AI by setting up a Digital Single Market and investing in research and innovation through the Horizon 2020 programme. It will roll out a comprehensive European AI strategy in the coming months.
European AI Alliance
This Alliance will establish how AI can be most effectively used and address its impact on peoples’ lives. It also encourages consideration of the related ethical concerns in order to build trust in the technology. The Alliance will necessarily be a multi-stakeholder effort. Convening academics, businesses, policy makers, consumer organisations, trade unions, and civil society representatives, it is an assorted combination. The Alliance will discuss the full impact of AI on people and the economy while also looking at all the different facets of the technology.
High-level AI Expert Group
To support the AI Alliance, the EC will establish a High-Level Expert Group on AI. It will function as a steering group for the AI Alliance. The Expert Group will also assist in creating dialogue, communicating with other initiatives, compiling participants’ opinions and reporting. To implement the European Initiative on AI, draft guidelines for ethical uses of AI will be written by the Expert Group this year.
The EC is currently taking applications for the Group. The deadline is set as April 9th, 2018. It is hoping to establish the Group by May.
You can read more about the High-Level Expert Group on AI here.
By Elliot Lyons, Research Analyst
