Europe Pushes for AI Pact: Over 100 Companies Commit to AI Regulation | Meta Facebook | Contact Meta WhatsApp | Meta Comune | Turtles AI

The European Union has launched the Covenant on AI, an initiative to encourage companies to voluntarily engage on how to address AI implementation in view of future AI Act regulation deadlines. 

Key points:

•  AI Pact: an EU initiative to advance compliance with the AI Act regulation.
•  Companies involved: 100 signatories, including Microsoft and Amazon, but Apple and Meta absent.
•  Goals: promote governance strategies, identify high-risk systems, and spread AI culture.
•  Challenges: significant absences and the voluntary approach raise questions about the initiative’s effectiveness.

The AI Pact, promoted by the European Commission, has recently been joined by more than 100 companies, including tech giants such as Google, Microsoft Amazon and OpenAI, with the aim of anticipating the implementation of future AI Act regulations. This pact, while voluntary, represents a significant step toward regulating AI in Europe, particularly with regard to governance, mapping high-risk systems, and promoting transparency in the use of AI.

The absence of giants such as Meta, Apple, Nvidia and Spotify from the list of signatories has raised some concerns about the overall effectiveness of the initiative, although the Commission has stressed that membership remains voluntary and that all companies will still have to comply with the AI Act’s binding rules once in force. In parallel, companies such as Lenovo have reinforced their commitment to responsible AI, highlighting the importance of transparency, privacy and security in their AI systems, in line with the goals of the pact.

The initiative has been welcomed by many companies, but it remains a considerable challenge to ensure that all parties involved meet their commitments, especially in view of the severe penalties under the AI Act for those who do not comply. The lack of participation of some key players could affect the EU’s ability to build a united front in AI regulation, but the membership of more than 100 companies nonetheless shows a strong willingness to collaborate and proactively prepare for the new regulatory framework.

Although the AI Act is already in place, its deadlines for full compliance will linger for years, leaving a regulatory gap that the EU aims to fill through the AI Pact. This agreement invites companies to commit to certain standards before mandatory regulations actually take effect, promoting information sharing and best practices among signatories.  The main goal is for companies to adopt a governance strategy for AI, identifying high-risk systems and promoting awareness within their organizations. These commitments should pave the way for smoother and more responsible compliance with European AI law. 

The AI Pact represents an attempt by the EU to push companies toward early and responsible compliance with future AI regulations, but some unknowns remain to be resolved.