Unlocking the potential of AI : opportunities and challenges for European policy

On 14 January 2021, members of the European Parliament’s (EP) committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age (AIDA) consulted with experts from the European University Institute (EUI) on topics in the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). The AIDA committee is also focused on developing a strategy for Europe to survive in a digital world and eventually assume a leadership role in AI. After an introduction in which AIDA committee members outlined their goals and expectations for the role that AI will play in society, the EUI experts provided some general remarks on AI and algorithms, and then presented their original research. Their presentations covered the difficulties of writing laws and regulation for new technologies; economic interactions with AI and algorithmic collusions; and algorithmic content filtering for online platforms. The webinar concluded with statements and questions from the parliamentary groups.This policy brief draws from the experts’ presentations and the questions the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) asked them. It expands on the topics that most interested the MEP and provides further references for policymakers interested in regulating this emerging technology.