Europeans have become \u201cpioneers in online rights\u201d and now want to lead a \u201cglobal framework for AI,\u201d the EU\u2019s top official said today.<\/p>\n
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission\u2019s president, revealed the bloc\u2019s digital plans during her\u00a0State of the Union address in Strasbourg. She used the speech to flaunt the achievements of her three-year reign.<\/p>\n
A particularly large spotlight was shone on her tech policies.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have set the path for the\u00a0digital transition\u00a0and become\u00a0global pioneers in online rights,\u201d von der Leyen said.<\/p>\n
The former German defence minister praised the bloc\u2019s work on semiconductor self-sufficiency<\/a>, which centres on the Chips Act<\/a>. Backed with \u20ac43bn of funding, the legislation aims to double the EU\u2019s market share in semiconductors to at least 20% by 2030. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/img><\/p>\n The <3 of EU tech<\/p>\n The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol’ founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Von der Leyen also touted the union\u2019s clean tech<\/a> industry, as well as the digital projects in NextGenerationEU, a COVID-19 recovery plan. <\/span>Her biggest brag, however, involved digital safety.<\/p>\n \u201cEurope<\/a> has led on\u00a0managing the risks of the digital world,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n To the chagrin of Silicon Valley, the EU has become the world\u2019s most formidable tech regulator. Tough laws on privacy<\/a>, tax avoidance, antitrust, and online content have led to eye-popping fines<\/a> for some of the biggest companies in the US.\u00a0 Von der Leyen warned them that more rules are coming.<\/p>\n To justify the intervention, she argued that disinformation<\/a>, data exploitation, and \u201charmful content\u201d have reduced the public\u2019s trust and breached their rights.<\/p>\n \u201cIn response, Europe has become the\u00a0global pioneer of citizen\u2019s rights\u00a0in the digital world,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n As evidence for this claim, von der Leyen pointed to two recent regulations: the Digital Services Act<\/a>\u00a0(DSA), which imposes rules on content moderation, and the Digital Market Act<\/a> (DMA), which aims to reign in big tech\u2019s dominance.<\/p>\n Her next big target is artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need an\u00a0open dialogue\u00a0with those that\u00a0develop and deploy AI.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In recent months, concerns have grown about AI<\/a> causing job losses,\u00a0discrimination, surveillance, and even extinction<\/a>. To mitigate the threats, the EU will soon adopt the\u00a0AI Act<\/a>, the first-ever comprehensive legislation for the tech.<\/p>\n Von der Leyen described the rules as \u201ca blueprint for the whole world.\u201d She also laid out the next steps of the EU\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe Europe, together with partners, should\u00a0lead the way on a\u00a0new global framework\u00a0for AI,\u00a0built on three pillars:\u00a0guardrails, governance, and guiding innovation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The main guardrails will be provided by the AI Act. For governance, von der Leven called for the creation of a global panel of\u00a0scientists, tech companies and independent experts. Together, they would inform policymakers about developments in the field.<\/p>\n\n