The Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) has generated intense debate among policymakers, civil society, and the business community, since it was presented by the European Commission in April 2021.
The tech world is not an exception, been divided over the potential implications of this groundbreaking legislation.
The rise of certain AI techniques and concepts, such as general purpose AI (GPAI) and generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT), has added even more complexity to the discussion.
In this context, startup and AI associations in Europe have taken the opportunity to remind policymakers of the key elements that should be included in the AI Act to preserve the innovation capacity of European players.
Tech Barcelona, the private non-profit association that represents Barcelona’s digital and technology ecosystem, is one of them and has joined some twenty European startups and AI associations to call for balanced regulation in future legislation on artificial intelligence in Europe.
The initiative is part of a joint manifesto that seeks to preserve the innovation capacity of European players in the field of artificial intelligence.
These European players are proposing the following:
- A pragmatic and proportional approach to defining high-risk AI systems.
- Sandboxes suitable for startups and other innovative companies to maximize their utility.
- A governance model that truly involves stakeholders.
- Future-proof requirements and obligations.
Startups allies
As part of its goal to strengthen its presence in Brussels and actively participate in policy debates affecting the technology industry globally, Tech Barcelona has also joined Allied For Startups.
Allied For Startups is a global network of startup associations, based in Brussels, whose mission is to create a better policy environment for startups and entrepreneurs.
The organization represents startups and entrepreneurs on policy issues and advocates for policies that support innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation.
With this alliance, Tech Barcelona aims to increase its participation and collaborate with other startup associations to share best practices and promote policies that support innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe.