0:00
0:00
Parliamentary Legislator Advocates for Preservation of AI Liability Directive
German MEP Axel Voss cautions that removing the AI liability regulations may result in legal ambiguity and an inconsistent regulatory framework throughout Europe.
The European Commission's decision to withdraw its proposed AI Liability Directive has faced backlash from German MEP Axel Voss, the European People's Party legislator spearheading the initiative for new AI liability regulations in Parliament.
The Commission’s work agenda for 2025, which is to be unveiled in Strasbourg on Wednesday, outlines a set of proposals slated for withdrawal, notably including the AI Liability Directive introduced in 2022 alongside the AI Act.
This directive aimed to update existing liability laws by targeting harms stemming from artificial intelligence systems and to guarantee consistent protection across the European Union.
As per the Commission's documentation, there is "no foreseeable agreement" regarding the proposal in the next year, and it is now marked for withdrawal, though there may be a chance for reconsideration later on.
Voss, who started consultations this month to collect feedback from industry stakeholders about the rules’ scope, cautioned that discarding the directive would lead to legal ambiguity and create disparities in corporate power.
He emphasized that without a cohesive strategy, liability for AI-related damages would fall under a disjointed mix of twenty-seven varying national legal frameworks, a situation that could impede the progress of European AI startups and small and medium enterprises.
The topic has also sparked divisions among tech advocates and consumer groups in Brussels.
While industry voices contend that the revised Product Liability Directive already addresses many pertinent issues, consumer organizations have expressed support for the additional protections the AI Liability Directive would provide.
A report presented by the European Parliament's research service pointed out possible shortcomings in the current framework, especially concerning large language models like ChatGPT and Claude.ai.
European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who shared the Commission's strategy during a press briefing in Strasbourg, remarked that several proposals have been delayed for years, casting doubt on their development this year.
He explained that the withdrawal list is designed to stimulate discussion among co-legislators, indicating that the Commission might revisit its stance if there is adequate support for further development of the directive in the upcoming year.
The Commission’s work agenda for 2025, which is to be unveiled in Strasbourg on Wednesday, outlines a set of proposals slated for withdrawal, notably including the AI Liability Directive introduced in 2022 alongside the AI Act.
This directive aimed to update existing liability laws by targeting harms stemming from artificial intelligence systems and to guarantee consistent protection across the European Union.
As per the Commission's documentation, there is "no foreseeable agreement" regarding the proposal in the next year, and it is now marked for withdrawal, though there may be a chance for reconsideration later on.
Voss, who started consultations this month to collect feedback from industry stakeholders about the rules’ scope, cautioned that discarding the directive would lead to legal ambiguity and create disparities in corporate power.
He emphasized that without a cohesive strategy, liability for AI-related damages would fall under a disjointed mix of twenty-seven varying national legal frameworks, a situation that could impede the progress of European AI startups and small and medium enterprises.
The topic has also sparked divisions among tech advocates and consumer groups in Brussels.
While industry voices contend that the revised Product Liability Directive already addresses many pertinent issues, consumer organizations have expressed support for the additional protections the AI Liability Directive would provide.
A report presented by the European Parliament's research service pointed out possible shortcomings in the current framework, especially concerning large language models like ChatGPT and Claude.ai.
European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who shared the Commission's strategy during a press briefing in Strasbourg, remarked that several proposals have been delayed for years, casting doubt on their development this year.
He explained that the withdrawal list is designed to stimulate discussion among co-legislators, indicating that the Commission might revisit its stance if there is adequate support for further development of the directive in the upcoming year.
