European countries sign declaration on AI cooperation

Twenty-five European countries – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK, Norway – adopted a Declaration of cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI). Among other issues, the countries committed to work together on ‘increasing the EU’s competitiveness, attractiveness and excellence in research and development in AI’, as well as on addressing social, economic, legal, and ethical concerns related to the evolution and use of AI. The declaration also points to the need to ‘ensure that humans remain at the centre of the development, deployment and decision-making of AI’ and  ‘prevent the harmful creation and use of AI applications’. In addition, the 25 countries agree to regularly assess the progress made in adopting measures to adequately react to the opportunities and challenges related to AI.