Is artificial intelligence growing more rapidly than humanity’s ability to contain it? The EU’s tech chief had a stark warning for the development of AI systems: if we don’t put guardrails in place now, the technology might soon be beyond our control.
In an interview with the European Newsroom (enr), European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen (Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy) said AI systems are becoming more capable and harder to evaluate.
The Finnish politician called for the establishment of international rules, which she said were already being discussed among G7 and G20 countries. She told journalists she was convinced that countries which are currently unwilling to regulate the sector will eventually come around.
China and the United States are currently leading in AI development but are showing no signs of slowing down despite recent warnings from industry insiders. Meanwhile, the EU has already begun to enforce its landmark AI Act.
Virkkunen also spoke about the addictive nature of social media networks and the impact they have on European children, calling on platforms to take greater responsibility. The Commission last month proposed a new law that seeks to limit the use of social media, including restrictions on gaming, for kids under 15.
The interview was conducted by enr news agencies dpa (Germany) and PAP (Poland) on behalf of the enr network.
Read some of our coverage here:
- European Newsroom (enr) – EU tech chief expects countries leading AI race to come around on safety
- dpa (Germany) – EU demands response from Claude, OpenAI on cyberattacks
- PAP (Poland) – Virkkunen: Social media is becoming increasingly addictive; clear age limits are needed
- Tanjug (Serbia) – EU tech chief expects countries leading AI race to come around on safety