I sat down for an hour-and-a-half in early August with Kai Zenner, longtime policy advisor to MEP Axel Voss. Brussels had emptied for the summer, and we sported shorts and t-shirts at an outdoor café in a quiet Place du Luxembourg. We talked about his background in EU digital policy, and in particular about the future of AI, in Europe and beyond. A recurring theme was the EU’s need to think globally and strategically — rather than along nationalistic or ideological lines — in order to compete and stay relevant. Here’s a summary of our conversation.
Supreme Court decision to overturn Chevron Deference signals shift in regulatory abilities
Written by Sameer Surti on 25 Jul 2024
On 28 June, the US Supreme Court overturned the ‘Chevron deference’, an administrative law principle allowing federal agencies to interpret and implement statutes with the understanding that federal courts would ultimately defer to those agencies’ interpretation of ambiguous laws. In this blog, we will go over the Supreme Court’s ruling and the implications it could have on the technology sector, with a particular focus on AI.
2024: Key things to look out for in tech regulation
Written by Matthew Niblett on 09 Jan 2024
As political institutions slowly emerge from their Christmas hibernation, we look at the key unresolved issues in tech regulation in the UK and the EU.
AI Act: A Game Changer in the Tech World
Written by Inline Policy on 21 Dec 2023
After an intense three-day negotiation marathon, the European Parliament and the Council of the EUreached a provisional agreement on the much-anticipated EU AI Act on 8 December 2023. As the world’s first comprehensive legislation on artificial intelligence (AI), this marks a pivotal moment in global AI regulation. With a risk-based approach, the AI Act introduces a structured approach to AI oversight, tailoring regulations to the complexity and capability of various AI systems.
What is the EU doing to regulate artificial intelligence?
Written by Shane Cumberton on 07 Aug 2023
In this blog, we look at the steps the European Union is taking to regulate artificial intelligence.
Does regulation of AI in the UK strike the right balance for business?
Written by Pia Doering on 23 Jun 2023
In this blog, Inline Policy looks at how the UK, home to many promising AI start-ups, is seeking to balance certainty with flexibility in its regulatory framework.
The state of UK tech policy in London Tech Week 2023
Written by Mitali Sud on 12 Jun 2023
As London Tech Week gets going, we take a look at the key debates in UK tech policy and recap where all of the major new regulatory proposals have got to.
AI Liability Directive: liability rules in the digital age
Written by Inline Policy on 15 Dec 2022
The European Commission has proposed new rules providing compensation for damage caused by AI systems. Below, we summarise the two key instruments which users and providers of AI systems will need to comply with.
Who are the UK's digital regulators?
Written by Matthew Niblett on 10 Mar 2022
Inline’s previous blog explored the UK Government’s aspirations for the technology and digital sectors and its legislative plans to make the UK a global leader in the space. In this blog, we look at the organisations responsible for regulating the UK’s tech sector, focusing on their powers and for which areas they have responsibility. We highlight some of the regulatory issues that these regulators are dealing with and which we advise tech companies should monitor.
Eight steps the Government is taking to turn the UK into a global services, digital and data hub
Written by Inline Policy on 03 Mar 2022
With the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU largely settled, the UK Government has begun to turn its attention to what it wishes to do with the powers that have been repatriated from the European Union. This blog explores the Government’s aspirations for the technology and digital sectors and its legislative plans to make the UK a global leader in this area.
Is transparency the key for turning AI into a force for good?
Written by Pia Doering on 20 Jan 2022
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become embedded in many of the processes of business operations, public life, and politics. Yet as AI is increasingly becoming a part of people’s lives, suspicions have mounted as to whether AI is a force for good, or whether its algorithms create bad outcomes for some of those on the receiving end of its calculations. In a 2020 survey by KPMG, only 26% of UK citizens were willing to rely on information provided by an AI or to share data with an AI. To combat the festering mistrust in AI, the UK Government published its novel Algorithmic Transparency Standard in late November 2021. This blogpost introduces the standard, evaluates its potential, and points to the questions which remain open.
The future of the seamless traveller journey is now
Written by Inline Policy on 04 Nov 2020
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, enabling a seamless, contactless, traveller journey is becoming more a matter of necessity rather than an option. We provide an account of the regulatory challenges and opportunities for biometric technologies companies facilitating a seamless traveller experience.
Introducing the Product Liability Directive (Part II): what about AI?
Written by Inline Policy on 26 Aug 2020
As we explained in our previous blog, European policy makers are pondering whether to revise the 1985 Product Liability Directive to make it ‘future-proof’ and ensure it remains fit for purpose amidst the growth of new technologies. Both the European Commission and European Parliament have addressed the issue in various formats and within different frameworks, both as part of a broader revision of European product safety regulation and/or as part of a planned regulation on Artificial Intelligence – whose aim would be to address the legal challenges of new automated technologies.
Introducing the Product Liability Directive (Part I)
Written by Inline Policy on 19 Aug 2020
The continued growth and application of new technologies raises new challenges for regulators and policymakers. Alongside new policy frameworks, existing regulations need to be re-evaluated to ensure that they remain proportionate, effective, fit-for-purpose and ‘future proof’. One such regulation is the Product Liability Directive, with growing calls for it to be reviewed.
Five tech sector winners from COVID-19
Written by Inline Policy on 30 Apr 2020
The tech sector, as all other sectors of the economy, has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, but not necessarily in a negative way. The pandemic could in fact represent an opportunity for five key tech sub-sectors to innovate their business models and show policy makers the potential of new technologies for good during (and beyond) global crises.
The copyright directive is a warning signal for Europe’s AI ambitions
Written by Inline Policy on 15 Apr 2020
The EU has set great ambitions around artificial intelligence, seeking to accelerate innovation and foster a much more competitive environment. But as the example of the copyright directive shows, much can go wrong for Europe’s AI businesses if they do not pay attention to what will be proposed.
Does the EU need a new framework to regulate AI?
Written by Inline Policy on 24 Jan 2020
The European Union is working on a new regulatory framework for artificial intelligence that seeks to ensure better consumer protection, while enhancing Europe’s technological competitiveness. The risk is for it to become but a duplication of already-existing practices and regulations.
The race for regulating facial recognition technology
Written by Inline Policy on 16 Oct 2019
Facial recognition technology is controversial amongst consumers, and a lack of clear rules about how to apply it has caused concerns amongst both the public and regulators. However, the benefits in certain contexts are there for all to see, and the race is on between business and lawmakers to shape the regulatory landscape.
Inline's Data Policy Tracker, May 2019
Written by Inline Policy on 16 May 2019
In the second of our regular Data Policy Tracker we cover the key political and regulatory changes, trends and developments impacting the data sector.
Launching Inline's new Data Policy Tracker
Written by Inline Policy on 15 Apr 2019
In the first of our new regular Data Policy Trackers we cover the key political and regulatory changes, trends and developments impacting the data sector.