Observed Signal · May 15, 2023 · Regulation · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Negative
EU AI Act to Classify Big Tech AI Systems as High-Risk
EU lawmakers have agreed on a compromise text for the upcoming AI Act, proposing to classify AI systems used by very large online platforms as high-risk. The consolidated version, agreed by two European Parliament committees on 11 May 2023, targets recommender systems that suggest user-generated content on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Amazon and Zalando. The affected list includes 17 designated Very Large Online Platforms plus the search engines Google Search and Bing. High-risk AI systems and foundation models would need to be registered in an EU database, obtain CE marking, implement human oversight, document training data and comply with EU privacy rules. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover.
The EU AI Act's high-risk classification would impose strict compliance requirements on AI-driven recommender systems and foundation models of nearly all major digital platforms, fundamentally affecting how AI is used in ad targeting and content distribution across the EU.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- The consolidated EU AI Act compromise text (11 May 2023) classifies AI recommender systems of Very Large Online Platforms as high-risk.
- The 144-page document mentions 'high-risk' 292 times versus 110 mentions of 'artificial intelligence'.
- 17 platforms are listed as Very Large Online Platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, Amazon Store, Google Play and Zalando; Google Search and Bing are designated very large search engines.
- High-risk AI systems and foundation models must be registered in an EU Commission database and obtain CE marking.
- Fines for non-compliance can reach €20 million or 4% of a company's global annual turnover.
Connected Companies & Entities
15 Entities mapped“Listed among the 17 Very Large Online Platforms affected by the AI Act's high-risk classification....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform; its AI recommender systems would be classified as high-risk....”
“Mentioned as the Chinese owner of AliExpress ('Alibaba und TikTok aus China')....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
“Designated as a Very Large Search Engine alongside Google Search....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform; mentioned with Alibaba as a Chinese platform....”
“German e-commerce platform listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
“Listed as a Very Large Online Platform subject to high-risk AI rules....”
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