More than 160 executives, including those from Renault and Meta, have signed an open letter stating that the proposed EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) legislation would pose risks to Europe’s competitiveness and technological sovereignty. The draft rules, recently agreed upon by EU lawmakers, require AI systems like ChatGPT to disclose AI-generated content, detect deep-fake images, and implement safeguards against illegal content.
The popularity of ChatGPT has prompted multiple open letters calling for AI regulation and expressing concerns about the potential dangers associated with AI. Previous letters included notable signatories like Elon Musk, Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI), Geoffrey Hinton, and Yoshua Bengio, recognized as influential figures in the field of AI. However, Yann LeCun, employed by Meta, signed the most recent letter challenging the EU regulations.
The letter’s signatories represent various companies such as Cellnex (a Spanish telecom company), Mirakl (a French software company), and Berenberg (a German investment bank). As of now, these companies, along with Renault and Meta, have not responded to requests for comment.
Cedric O, former digital minister of France and one of the organizers of the letter, explained that the primary focus is on the version of the legislation passed by the European Parliament. He criticized the shift from a risk-based approach to a technology-based approach, which was not present in the initial text.
The letter cautions that the proposed EU rules would heavily regulate technologies like generative AI, leading to significant compliance costs and increased liability risks for companies developing such systems. It warns that these regulations may prompt highly innovative companies to relocate their activities outside of Europe and deter investors from supporting AI development within the region.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, had previously threatened to withdraw ChatGPT from Europe due to concerns about complying with forthcoming AI laws. However, he later reversed his stance, stating that the company has no plans to exit the European market.
Dragos Tudorache, who co-led the drafting of the EU proposals, believes that the signatories may not have carefully read the text and instead reacted based on the influence of a few individuals with vested interests. He asserts that the suggestions mentioned in the letter are already incorporated in the draft legislation.