More than 100 companies, including tech giants such as Google, OpenAI, Amazon, and Microsoft, have signed the European AI Pact, a voluntary initiative aimed at promoting the safe, responsible, and ethical development of artificial intelligence (AI) in the EU. This pact is a precursor to the EU’s AI Act, which came into effect in August 2024 and will be fully implemented over the next few years.
Notably absent from the list of signatories are Apple, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram). Meta has indicated that it might consider signing the pact in the future, but for now, it remains non-committal. Apple, TikTok, and X have not provided any comments on their stance regarding the AI Pact. The EU AI Pact represents (or meant to represent) a significant step towards ensuring that AI is developed and deployed responsibly in Europe, with many major tech companies already on board. However, the absence of key players and ongoing regulatory debates underscore the complexities and challenges involved in balancing innovation with ethical and legal considerations.
The absence of these companies is significant, especially given that a group of companies, led by Meta and including Spotify and Ericsson, have called on the EU to establish more consistent and less stringent rules for AI. These companies argue that the current regulatory framework creates uncertainty and hampers their ability to offer AI services in the EU. They emphasize the need to use European citizens’ data for training AI models, a practice that is currently restricted due to regulatory doubts.
For instance, Meta only releases text-based AI models in Europe and avoids multimodal models, while Apple has chosen not to roll out its AI features in the EU for the time being. Google, however, has successfully launched its Gemini services in the EU without issues, and OpenAI has made all its ChatGPT products available in Europe.
The companies warning about the potential stifling of AI innovation in the EU argue that the region faces a critical choice: either to reinterpret the GDPR principles to facilitate AI development at a global pace or to risk falling behind in technological advancements. In a joint statement, Meta and Spotify highlighted the importance of aligning EU regulations with the underlying values of the GDPR to ensure that AI innovation can proceed without undue restrictions.
The European AI Act, now in effect, introduces a comprehensive legal framework for AI, with provisions to be phased in over the coming years. Companies signing the AI Pact commit to adopting an AI governance strategy, identifying and mapping high-risk AI systems, and promoting AI literacy and awareness among their staff. These commitments are designed to align with the future requirements of the AI Act and to foster a culture of responsible AI development.
According to Mona de Boer, an expert in responsible AI use at PwC, the pact encourages best practices and helps companies prepare for the upcoming regulatory requirements. Both the EU and the companies have a vested interest in this pact; the EU aims to stimulate innovation and attract AI-driven businesses, while companies seek to ensure they can operate compliantly within the EU.
The new rules under the AI Act are intended to minimize social risks associated with AI, such as unwanted profiling, which involves using large amounts of data to make predictions about individuals’ behavior. By February 2025, additional provisions will come into force, including a ban on law enforcement agencies using AI to predict criminal behavior.
AI also presents opportunities to address labour shortages, particularly in sectors like healthcare. The Dutch government, for example, is optimistic about the potential of AI in healthcare, but this raises ethical dilemmas. De Boer notes that remote patient monitoring, while beneficial, can also introduce risks if the systems are not stable and reliable, highlighting the need for careful consideration of these ethical implications.
