Chief executives from seven leading European technology firms co-authored a public appeal on Tuesday, urging the European Union to significantly simplify and relax artificial intelligence regulations. They argued that excessive oversight has caused Europe to fall behind in the global AI race.
Signatories included the heads of chip equipment leader ASML, Airbus, Ericsson, French AI startup Mistral AI, Nokia, SAP, and Siemens. In their joint statement, they wrote, "More than three years after the 'ChatGPT moment,' Europe remains mired in regulatory debates, while other nations have shifted their focus to scaling AI applications in physical systems and robotics."
The article appeared in prominent European publications such as Germany's Handelsblatt and Italy's Corriere della Sera. The executives also called for stronger industrial policies and merger regulations that would enable European companies to grow. They highlighted, "We face fragmented markets and subsidized competitors that enjoy strong market penetration within the EU."
The EU is set to resume negotiations this month aimed at streamlining the 2024 AI Act. Separately, the European Commission will unveil a "technology sovereignty package" on May 27, which includes plans to support the semiconductor industry and AI infrastructure. Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the current AI regulatory framework as "too narrow a straitjacket" and advocated for a more flexible environment for industrial AI applications.
This appeal comes as tripartite negotiations over the comprehensive AI Act enter a critical phase. While stakeholders have agreed to postpone compliance deadlines for high-risk AI systems, disagreements persist on key issues such as whether AI literacy obligations should be mandatory or voluntary, and assumptions regarding cybersecurity compliance.
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