EU Launches AI Office To Shape Future AI Governance And EU Ecosystem

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – FEBRUARY 19: Executive Vice President of the European Commission for a Europe … [+] Fit for the Digital Age Margrethe Vestager (L) and the EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton (R) are talking to media in the Berlaymont, the EU Commission headquarter on February 19, 2020 in Brussels, Belgium. Today, the Commission unveils its ideas and actions for a digital transformation that works for all, reflecting the best of Europe: open, fair, diverse, democratic and confident. It presents a European society powered by digital solutions that put people first, opens up new opportunities for businesses, and boosts the development of trustworthy technology to foster an open and democratic society and a vibrant and sustainable economy. (Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)

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So much uncertainty surrounds Artificial Intelligence, that the European Union is now opening a brand new office to study the way AI can enable societal and economic benefits and innovation, while mitigating risks.

The European AI Office will be the centre of AI expertise across the EU, tasked with providing advice on best practices for AI uptake, but as well on regulation and compliance, safety, robotics, AI for societal good, and innovation.

Furthermore, the EU aims to ensure the EU-bloc will become a global reference point for AI governance, being able to mainstream the European approach on AI at international level.

According to the European Union’s statistical office Eurostat, just 8% of European companies with over ten employees utilized artificial intelligence in the last year, particularly in Denmark, Finland and Luxemburg. These companies have used AI to run simple tasks such as automating different workflows or assisting in decision-making.

The European AI ecosystem is going to increase in size in the coming years, and the Office will provide the direction for it to be innovative, competitive, and respectful of EU rules and values.

Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president at the European Commission said the office will “help ensure a coherent implementation of the AI Act. Together with developers and a scientific community, the office will evaluate and test general purpose AI to ensure that AI serves us as humans and uphold our European values.”

The AI Act, agreed by co-legislators in December 2023, is the world’s first comprehensive law on Artificial Intelligence. The law will enter into force at the end of June, just after the European Elections taking place, and in the past months the Commission tried to determine the leadership of the Office and its tasks.

Lucilla Sioli, currently Director for AI and Digital Industry within the European Commission, will formally lead the AI Office. Around 140 experts will work in the AI Office, but so far noted the European Commission, only 60 staff have been selected from other units of the same institution.

Some lawmakers are negative about the setting of the AI Office: “Today, the public was presented with a visionless structure that simply involves minor restructuring of existing Commission units.” wrote the Member of the European Parliament Svenja Hahn.

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