The EU’s AI Act Inches Closer to Reality—IFPI, CISAC Respond

Photo Credit: Carl Campbell

Europe is moving closer to adopting rules that will regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the region. The EU’s AI Act is the first of its kind across the world.The European Commission proposed the rules more than three years ago with a goal to set standards for how AI technology is used. The AI Act also includes guidelines for how AI can be used in the military, for crime monitoring, and security purposes. One of the primary concerns is around the creation of deepfakes—which became a very real threat for Taylor Swift this past weekend.

Groups on Telegram found ways to bypass guardrails put into place in AI creation tools like Microsoft Designer, creating AI porn using Taylor Swift’s face. X/Twitter briefly blocked searches for Taylor Swift’s name on the platform to clean up these illicit, explicit images—but the news prompted a White House response. The AI Act aims to address things like this, with EU Digital Chief Margrethe Vestager commenting on the incident.

“What happened to Taylor Swift tells it all—the harm that AI can trigger if badly used, the responsibilities of platforms, and why it is so important to enforce tech regulation,” Vestager said on X/Twitter.The statement follows after EU member states endorsed a political agreement reached in December 2023. Both the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and the International Confederation of Societies of Authors & Composers (CISAC) responded positively to the news.

“The Council’s unanimous approval of the EU AI Act marks an important step forward in helping to protect creators in the AI environment,” the IFPI’s statement begins.

“AI offers creators both opportunities and risks, and we believe there is a path to a mutually successful outcome for both the creative and technology communities. Success requires guardrails—public policies that enable and require responsible AI. We urge the European Parliament to approve this first-of-its-kind legislation without delay.”CISAC says the AI Act “is a vital piece of legislation that will regulate the role of AI in Europe and help set a global standard for how we expect AI systems to operate. Europe has a unique opportunity to show global leadership in the AI framework, for the benefit of EU citizens, creators, rightsholders, industry, and the wider economy.”