Why 2022 is only the beginning for AI regulation

As the world becomes increasingly dependent on technology to communicate, attend school, do our work, buy groceries and more, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) play a bigger role in our lives. Living through the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the value of technology and AI. It has also revealed a dangerous side and regulators have responded accordingly.

In 2021, across the world, governing bodies have been working to regulate how AI and ML systems are used. From the UK to the EU to China, regulations on how industries should monitor their algorithms, best practices for auditing and frameworks for more transparent AI systems are on the rise. In the U.S. there has been much less progress made on regulating artificial intelligence than in other geographies. Yet, over the past year, the federal government has begun to take steps toward regulating artificial intelligence across industries.

The threat to civil rights, civil liberties and privacy is one of the biggest considerations made in regulating AI in the U.S. The debates concerning how AI should be handled this year have focused on three areas of interest: Europe and the UK, the individual U.S. states, and the U.S. federal authorities.

Europe and the UK: Paving the way for AI regulation

Europe is moving quickly toward comprehensive legislation regulating how AI can be used across industries. In April, the European Commission announced a framework to help enterprises monitor their AI systems. In the UK, there have been several steps in creating more regulations around AI auditing practices, AI assurance and algorithmic transparency.

Recently, Germany put forth the world’s first guidance for the specific criteria published by public authorities to be put into a framework for lifecycle management of AI. The AI Cloud Service Compliance Criteria Catalogue (AIC4) responds to the calls for AI regulation by clearly outlining the essential requirements for promoting robust and secure AI practices.

Movement at the state and local levels in the U.S.

Meanwhile, the United States has taken a less-centralized approach to AI regulation. States legislatures have taken steps to regulate this agile technology, but the federal government has made little progress compared to Europe. The federal action the United States took this year, while promising, is largely unbinding.[…]