Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

EU is eyeing tough rules for ChatGPT. What would regulation look like?

EU is eyeing tough rules for ChatGPT. What would regulation look like?

ChatGPT has ushered in an explosion of interest in AI - and the EU is eyeing regulation with its new AI Act.

An EU official has said proposed rules regulating artificial intelligence (AI) will tackle concerns around the risks of products like ChatGPT.

Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, told Reuters the sudden rise of popularity of applications like ChatGPT and the associated risks underscore the urgent need for rules to be established.

"As showcased by ChatGPT, AI solutions can offer great opportunities for businesses and citizens, but can also pose risks. This is why we need a solid regulatory framework to ensure trustworthy AI based on high-quality data," he told Reuters in written comments.

They were the first official comments on ChatGPT from a senior EU official. Breton and his colleagues in the Commission are currently working with the European Council and Parliament on what will be the first legal framework on AI.

Launched just over two months ago, ChatGPT has ushered in an explosion of interest in AI and the uses it can now be put to.

Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT allows users to enter prompts which can then generate articles, essays, poetry - and even computer code.

With ChatGPT rated the fastest-growing consumer app in history, some experts have raised fears that systems used by such apps could be misused for plagiarism, fraud and spreading misinformation.

Microsoft declined to comment on Breton's statement. OpenAI - whose app uses a technology called generative AI - did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

OpenAI has said on its website it aims to produce artificial intelligence that "benefits all of humanity" as it attempts to build safe and beneficial AI.


The first AI regulatory framework


Under the EU draft rules, ChatGPT is considered a general purpose AI system which can be used for multiple purposes, including high-risk ones such as the selection of candidates for jobs and credit scoring.

Breton wants OpenAI to cooperate closely with downstream developers of high-risk AI systems to enable their compliance with the proposed AI Act.

The regulatory framework currently defines four levels of risk in AI - which is causing disquiet amongst some companies who fear their products being labelled as high risk.

The four levels are:

*  Unacceptable risk - any system considered a clear threat to people "will be banned" according to the Commission, including “social scoring by governments to toys using voice assistance that encourages dangerous behaviour".

*  High risk - these are AI systems within critical infrastructures such as transport, or within educational or employment contexts where the outcome of exams or job applications could be determined by AI. Law enforcement contexts that put people’s fundamental rights at risk are also included as high risk.

*  Limited risk - These are systems with "specific transparency obligations," such as a chatbot identifying itself as an AI.

*  Minimal or no risk - The Commission says the "vast majority" of systems currently used in the EU are in this category, and they include AI-enabled video games and spam filters.

"People would need to be informed that they are dealing with a chatbot and not with a human being," Breton said.

"Transparency is also important with regard to the risk of bias and false information".

Being in a high-risk category would lead to tougher compliance requirements and higher costs, according to executives of several companies involved in developing artificial intelligence.

A survey by the industry body appliedAI showed that 51 per cent of the respondents expect a slowdown of their AI development activities as a result of the AI Act.

Effective AI regulations should centre on the highest-risk applications, Microsoft president Brad Smith wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.

"There are days when I'm optimistic and moments when I'm pessimistic about how humanity will put AI to use," he said.

Generative AI models need to be trained on huge amounts of text or images for creating a proper response - which can lead to allegations of copyright violations.

Breton said forthcoming discussions with lawmakers about AI rules would cover these aspects.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×