November 2024
Holistic AI has launched the Holistic AI Tracker 2.0, which features an interactive world map called the Atlas to track activity across eight key areas. The Atlas has filters to help users drill down into specific regions, events and development sectors, with the ability to track changes and get notifications of updates. The AI Tracker is designed as a resource for the community and users are invited to suggest event additions for review by Holistic AI.
October 2024
The European AI Office has initiated the drafting process for the first-ever Code of Practice for general-purpose AI (GPAI) models under the EU AI Act. The Code of Practice will serve as a guiding framework to align with the stringent requirements of the Act and ensure compliance. Over 1,000 stakeholders are involved in the drafting process, which will span four rounds of reviews and consultations, with the final version expected to be published in April 2025. The Code of Practice provides guidelines for GPAI model providers to demonstrate compliance with legal obligations, including identifying and addressing systemic risks. If the Code of Practice is not ready or deemed inadequate by 2 August 2025, the European Commission may introduce common rules to ensure compliance with the AI Act.
September 2024
California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Models Act, or SB1047, which aimed to regulate the development and deployment of large-scale AI solutions in the state. The bill, which set strict safety standards for developers of AI models costing over $100m, and empowered the California Attorney General to hold them accountable for negligence that caused harm, was opposed by Big Tech. Newsom acknowledged the need for regulatory measures on AI development but criticised the bill for not being informed by "an empirical trajectory analysis of AI systems".
The UK is introducing the Public Authority Algorithmic and Automated Decision-Making Systems Bill (HL Bill 27) to regulate the use of automated and algorithmic tools in decision-making processes within public authorities. The proposed legislation applies to all algorithmic and automated decision-making systems developed or procured by public authorities, excluding those used for national security and routine calculations. The bill introduces requirements for algorithmic impact assessments, algorithmic transparency records, monitoring and auditing, employee training, and adherence to human rights and democratic values. The legislation aims to align with the Council of Europe's Framework Convention on AI.
The Council of Europe's (CoE) Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law has opened for signature, and has already been signed by several countries including the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. The Convention applies primarily to States and certain international organizations. It establishes a comprehensive set of obligations designed to ensure that all activities throughout the AI system lifecycle align with human rights, democratic principles, and the rule of law. Its central aim is to ensure that AI systems are developed, deployed, and used in ways that respect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. The Convention also sets out several guiding principles and a risk management framework for AI systems. The Convention is a pivotal step in the global governance of AI, expanding the geographic influence of such initiatives through the Council of Europe's broad reach.